The Open: England's Dan Brown, the cigarette-smoking fan favourite, grabs early major lead again at Royal Birkdale

Fans’ favourite Dan Brown is hoping his mid-round smoking will be allowed to continue after grabbing a shock share of the early clubhouse lead at The Open.

Brown burst into the public spotlight during his 2024 debut at Royal Troon, where he topped the leaderboard on the opening day and had a final-round pairing with Scottie Scheffler on his way to a tied-10th finish.

The Englishman is popular on social media and has become a fans' favourite for his on-course behaviour, with Brown seen enjoying a mid-round cigarette and selfie with fans during the PGA Championship in May.

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Brown - a two-time DP World Tour winner - has missed 10 of his 13 cuts so far this season but ripped up the form book during his opening round at Royal Birkdale, mixing seven birdies with three bogeys to post a four-under 66.

"Obviously it's only Thursday, but hopefully I'm in similar area on the leaderboard come Sunday," said after his round. "I feel like I can compete in a major and in an Open Championship.

"I feel like I'm a better player now to what I was back then two years ago, so we'll see [what happens]."

Hot and humid weather has produced a burnt-out course and bringing a possible fire risk, with on-course screens warning spectators to 'take extra caution and maintain vigilance for fire hazards in dry conditions'.

"I haven't been told otherwise [that he can't smoke], but I've been making sure that they [cigarettes] are out," Brown added. "Hopefully [I can keep smoking] for the rest of the week. There might be a big drop-off by Sunday if I'm not allowed.

"I'm probably on like seven or eight a round, I would say. Stress levels go up, then probably the more I end up having.

"My dad actually used to smoke and I always told him when I was a kid to stop smoking and then he did stop and I ended up starting."

MacIntyre: I could retire happy if I won The Open!

Brown shared the initial clubhouse lead with playing partner Sungjae Im, while Scotland's Robert MacIntyre was a shot back after holing a 45-foot birdie on the opening hole of his three-under 67.

MacIntyre also contended last week on home soil, finishing tied-third at the Genesis Scottish Open, with the 29-year-old keen to build on his hot start and become the first Scotsman to win a major since Paul Lawrie in 1999.

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"If I won an Open, won any major, if something happened, I could happily walk away from the game of golf," MacIntyre admitted. "I'll openly say it, I'll say it until I'm blue in the face.

"It would be all my goals that I ever dreamed of complete if I did that, but there's a long way to go. I'm hoping to play the game for some 10 years and more after that."

On his round, MacIntyre added: "It was a test of discipline. I feel I was very, very cautious off the tee. But the way I've been playing, my approach play has been really good.

"That was the priority, get it on the short stuff and stay out of these pot bunkers. I felt like I played really well. There were a couple of putts I don't know how I missed, but other than that I felt like it was almost a perfect round of golf with the great scramble at the last."

MacIntyre was in the fifth group out on Thursday morning and teed off just over 40 minutes after Matthew Baldwin hit the opening shot of the tournament, with the Royal Birkdale member posting an opening-round 72.

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"It [teeing off first] was an incredible feeling," Baldwin said after his opening round. "It was terrifying. It was overwhelming. But it's something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

"I'm not even sure I lifted my head [at the first tee], if I'm honest. I remember waving at a couple of people but, at the end of the day, your focus is obviously hitting the golf shot, isn't it. There's time to wave at people after, I guess. It was amazing. I couldn't have asked for more, support-wise."

When is The Open live on Sky Sports?

Sky Sports is once again the exclusive home of The Open in the UK and Ireland, with wall-to-wall action from the final men's major of the year continue on Friday at 6.30am on Sky Sports Golf.

Featured Groups will be available on Sky Sports+ or the Sky Sports App, along with a player focus feed, with extended coverage of The Open then starting at 9am on Saturday and 8am on Sunday on Sky Sports Golf.