Daniel Brown’s tenacity has paid off at the British Open, as he remains in the running for the win despite being in first place heading into Sunday’s final.
A short video of Brown taking a selfie with a fan while smoking a dart went viral and was one of the main stories of Saturday’s round.
His Cinderella story isn’t over yet, as he’s one stroke behind leader Billy Horschel, who shot a 2-under 69 to lead the tournament at 4-under par.
Brown had five birdies, five bogeys and a double bogey on the 18th hole for a 2-over 73 in the third round.
Brown didn’t finish well, but for the most part he was able to handle the pressure well and stay in the running for the win.
“I’m proud of the way I played, but I hurt them a little bit by not hitting some bad golf shots the last two holes,” Brown said.
“Links golf blew me away after two holes.”
This may be Brown’s first major championship, but he chose not to focus on that. Getting that pressure off his chest has helped him stay calm.
“It’s not a normal week, but mentally I feel like it’s been a normal week on the DP World Tour,” he said.
“Until now, it never felt bigger than it actually is, but it is much bigger. I think we can put up a good fight tomorrow.”
Photo by Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images
Brown commented on the course setup, as did his playing partner Shane Lowry, who led after 54 holes but collapsed in the final nine holes. Dustin Johnson also described the difficulty of the golf.
How difficult was the back nine? Players used multiple drivers on holes that normally call for a mid or long iron.
“A couple of the par 4s were just out of reach,” Brown explained.
“I hit a driver on the 17th. The weather was bad this morning so I don’t think we really considered the course setup. We were on the end of a bad draw but we were up front from the start anyway.”
It hasn’t been the best year for British Open qualifiers, with Brown missing the cut eight times in a row before finishing 61st at last week’s Genesis Scottish Open.
Many players would crumble under the pressure but not Brown, who knows his experience will come in handy during a week like the British Open.
“A lot of people thought I’d be shaking and nervous this morning, but I’m absolutely fine,” Brown said.
“I’m naturally a calm and relaxed person but I’ve had enough experience on the DP World Tour and in my golf career that I think I know how to deal with these situations. I’ve made mistakes before but I think that’s helped me to get to where I am now.”
The 29-year-old will face world number one Scottie Scheffler over the final 18 holes of the British Open. They tee off at 8:55 a.m. ET.
Savannah Lee Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow us for more golf articles. Follow You can follow us on all major social platforms. You can also follow us on Twitter Follow Her Instagram account is @golf_girl_sl.
