THE 152ND OPEN

July 20, 2024

Daniel Brown

Mixed Zone

DANIEL BROWN: Proud of how I handled myself, but obviously a bit of a sting on them last two holes through not really hitting a bad golf shot. Links golf got the better of me on them two holes. But yeah, overall pleased, I suppose.

Q. How proud are you of the fact that you are in contention, though? You're still there even though it was tough out there.

DANIEL BROWN: Yeah, we're still there. It was difficult. I'm a little bit disappointed with how the last two holes went because I did so well so get to where I got to, and yeah, it's a bit nasty to finish like that. But yeah.

Q. How comfortable have you felt in this situation the last three days? It's a new experience for you playing in a major. How have the comfort levels been, sleeping at night and stuff like that?

DANIEL BROWN: Yeah, very comfortable. Obviously it's not a normal week, but I feel like mentally I've been in a place where I've treated it like a normal week on the DP World Tour. I've not made it feel any bigger than what it is, and it is a lot bigger, obviously.

But yeah, I think the way I've handled myself today, I think I can have a good go tomorrow.

Q. That back nine was playing an absolute beast. Have you seen a test like that in golf?

DANIEL BROWN: No, there was two or three of those par-4s I couldn't even get to. Hit driver on 17. Course setup probably wasn't thought about too much this morning when that weather came in. But yeah, we got the sort of wrong end of the draw, but we were up there to begin with anyway. So yeah.

Q. A rough break on 18, obviously. What happened with the third shot?

DANIEL BROWN: Yeah, because the wind was so strong in out of the left, I was trying to just hold one in. If I let it ride on the wind too much, it would have just been kicking away to the right-hand side of the green, and yeah, I was, I suppose, a little bit unfortunate with where it finished, as well. It was on a bit of a downslope. I couldn't really get anywhere near that flag out of the bunker, either.

But it is what it is.

Q. How tough is it to deal with this position mentally?

DANIEL BROWN: I felt okay. I suppose a lot of people probably thought I was going to be shaking this morning and really nervous, but I've been absolutely fine.

Q. No one knows how you're going to be until you're in that situation.

DANIEL BROWN: Yeah, I didn't know. I didn't know last night if I was going to wake up this morning, be nervous, sweaty, whatever it might be, but I think I felt all right, and I think I'll feel all right tomorrow.

Q. Are you proud you've kept your nerves in check given what's at stake?

DANIEL BROWN: I am quite a calm, relaxed person anyway, but I think I've had enough experiences on the DP World Tour and sort of my journey through golf to know how to handle these situations. I've failed before, and I think that's what's stood me in good stead for being here.

Q. How easy was it to focus on your own game (indiscernible)?

DANIEL BROWN: I felt okay. I think it was so difficult, again, I think I said it briefly yesterday, it was so difficult that you sort of ignore what's going on around you, really. The shots you face here are so difficult that you've just got to have it 100 percent of the time.

Q. This is the stuff you dream about as a kid, going into the final day with a chance. You must be thrilled you're in this position.

DANIEL BROWN: Yeah, obviously right now it's a bit -- after the last two holes it's a little bit of a kick in the teeth, I suppose, but if you'd have told me I was going to go into the final round of the Open one or two shots back, I would have ripped your hand off.

Q. Play any table tennis tonight?

DANIEL BROWN: Possibly, yeah.

Q. The cigarettes on the course, are they for calming the nerves?

DANIEL BROWN: No, that's just a bit of a bad habit that I've got into. Do you know what, I only really do it when I'm golfing, to be honest, so I suppose it could be a coping mechanism. I was trying to sneak.

Q. Why?

DANIEL BROWN: I mean, my mom and dad are here. There's a lot of people watching. I don't know how people are going to take it. Obviously I'm sure a lot of people know --

Q. Your parents don't know you smoke?

DANIEL BROWN: They do know, but I don't do it in front of them, or I don't want to do it in front of them, so I try and hide it.

Q. You said you have some mates staying with you in the house?

DANIEL BROWN: Yeah, it's quite boozy but not on my end. I've been staying quite clean and they've been enjoying themselves, playing cricket and being in the hot tub and having a few beers at nighttime, which has been good fun.

Q. They're not keeping you awake?

DANIEL BROWN: No, not quite.

Q. Be nice tomorrow when there's a celebration?

DANIEL BROWN: Yeah. Fingers crossed.