Dan Brown, The Open's unlikely contender at Troon
Golf fans are accustomed to seeing the names Xander Schauffele, Billy Horschel, Sam Burns, Scottie Scheffler, and Justin Rose on the first page of leaderboards. However, with 18 holes to play in the Open Championship at Royal Troon, one name near the top is a surprise.
One hears the name Dan Brown and probably thinks of the author whose book "The DaVinci Code" has sold over 80 million copies.
This week, the Dan Brown stage belongs to a golfer who's making his major debut but is still somehow just one back of the lead at the Open Championship with one round remaining.
It's his major debut
Brown claimed his first DP World Tour victory last year, but to say his contention at Royal Troon this week is a surprise would be a vast understatement. The 29-year-old isn't just making his first start in an Open Championship; this doubles as his debut in any major. Brown is looking to become the fourth player since 1900 to win a major in his first event. He's actually the second player this year with a chance to accomplish that feat after Ludvig Aberg entered the final round of the Masters three shots off the lead before finishing runner-up.
Qualified in dramatic fashion
Brown initially planned on playing in Lake Tahoe this week in the Barracuda Championship as he didn't have an exemption for The Open. After an opening-round 71 in final qualifying, the cards were stacked against him with 18 holes to play. However, Brown fired the lowest round of the entire field at West Lancashire in his second 18, sealing his spot in The Open with a 20-footer for birdie on his final hole.
Poor form entering the week
It's been a rough season for Brown on the DP World Tour, battling through knee issues before eventually having surgery and missing nine weeks. His return to golf didn't go as planned, with six missed cuts and a withdrawal in seven straight events entering the Scottish Open last week. Brown made the cut on the east coast of Scotland but finished well off the mark in 61st.
Despite the poor results, Brown seemed confident he'd shake the rust off.
"I wouldn't say I've actually had a change in form," he said Friday, according to ASAP Sports. "I think it's just a case of results, really. I had a bit of a knee injury and had a few weeks out and haven't really gotten going since. … It was more just rustiness really from having six, seven weeks off. So, I feel like the results have been coming. I've just had to stay patient, and I wasn't very patient when I came back from injury at all."
Regardless of how he finishes Sunday, Brown appears accurate in his judgment despite his struggles lately.
Manchester United supporter
Brown's allegiances in soccer-mad England fall with Manchester United after he grew up 100 miles from the city, in Burneston.
That adds a soccer rivalry to his attempt to chase down Horschel, who leads after three rounds. The American hails from Florida but is such an impassioned supporter of West Ham United that his golf bag this week is emblazoned with a massive logo of the club.
Brown isn't the only Manchester United backer looking to take over the lead. Lowry also supports the Red Devils and hasn't been shy in the past about poking fun at Horschel's fandom of West Ham.