Dawn
Active member
English journeyman Dan Brown birdied the last hole to card a first-round 65 and lead the British Open by one shot from Ireland's Shane Lowry on Thursday.
The 29-year-old Brown, a one-time European Tour winner who came through qualifying to earn his place in the year's final major, took advantage of benign late conditions.
He sank an eight-foot birdie putt at the last to move top of the leaderboard with a bogey-free round.
"It did get dark out there and got a little bit tricky but the wind dropped as well," Brown told reporters.
"You've got those bright yellow scoreboards out there so it's hard to miss, but I felt comfortable with my game."
Lowry, the 2019 Open champion, birdied the last hole to complete a flawless five-under-par 66 and move two shots clear of American Justin Thomas, who took the early clubhouse lead at the 152nd Open with a 68 at a blustery Royal Troon.
The 29-year-old Brown, a one-time European Tour winner who came through qualifying to earn his place in the year's final major, took advantage of benign late conditions.
He sank an eight-foot birdie putt at the last to move top of the leaderboard with a bogey-free round.
"It did get dark out there and got a little bit tricky but the wind dropped as well," Brown told reporters.
"You've got those bright yellow scoreboards out there so it's hard to miss, but I felt comfortable with my game."
Lowry, the 2019 Open champion, birdied the last hole to complete a flawless five-under-par 66 and move two shots clear of American Justin Thomas, who took the early clubhouse lead at the 152nd Open with a 68 at a blustery Royal Troon.
