Daniel Brown Smokes His Way To Social Media Stardom At The 152nd Open Championship Saturday

Daniel Brown became a fan favorite at The 152nd Open Championship Saturday with spectators and the internet. While playing Hole No. 18 in the third round with 36-hole leader Shane Lowry, Brown was seen puffing ciggies and taking selfies with fans at Royal Troon Golf Club. If this can make you famous, I wish the world saw me during my annual trip to Las Vegas for the NFL Kickoff Game. 

Rainy and windy conditions at Troon led to carnage Saturday. One of my picks to win The Open, Joaquin Niemann, had a quintuple bogey on the 11th hole in the third round. Long Par 4's on the back nine played like Par 5's Saturday with golfers doing fist pumps just by saving par. Since I needed a cigarette just watching Round 3, I couldn't imagine playing out there. 

However, even before his smoke break with fans, Brown made noise at Royal Troon with his outstanding play. Brown's birdie on the 18th hole Thursday gave him the solo first-round lead. His odds of being the first-round leader at The Open were 250-to-1, which absolutely no one bet. 

Furthermore, he was 272nd in the Official World Golf Rankings entering golf's final major. Brown snuck into The Open through a 36-hole qualifier in West Lancashire, England earlier this month. In fact, the Englishman was on an epic cold streak (similar to my recent PGA TOUR betting performance) before The Open. 

After the dust settled on a chaotic third round, the 29-year-old son of a pig farmer is tied for second at The Open, one stroke behind Billy Horschel. Among the golfers tied with Brown are 2024 PGA champion Xander Schauffele and 2013 U.S. Open winner Justin Rose. 

Brown shined brighter than everyone at Royal Troon Saturday, including World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who sits two strokes off the lead in eighth place. Speaking of which, Scheffler and Brown are paired together for the final round of The Open. How sick would it be if they shared a cigarette on the 72nd hole? 

Scottie is a recent first-time father. I wouldn't be surprised if he ripped heaters while hitting the links with the boys. If Scheffler wins his second major in 2024, he should smoke a victory cigar with Brown at Troon. For one, it would be cool AF. Plus, it would boost Brown's profile, whose 15 minutes probably ends Sunday. Unless he wins the Claret Jug. 

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