Dan Brown insists he will not put any pressure on himself in his first competitive match since his impressive performance at the British Open at the D+D REAL Czech Masters this week.
The Englishman, who rose to prominence on the international stage at Royal Troon, led after the opening round, went out in the final group with 2019 champion Shane Lowry on day three and sealed a top-10 finish in an eventful week in Scotland.
Three weeks later, with the dust settling, Brown looks back on the week now with more nostalgia than he did during the game, and while he admits it was encouraging to know he could compete with the best, his perspective hasn’t changed.
“It was obviously very positive and looking back on that experience I probably have better memories than when I was actually there,” he said. “You kind of soak up the whole atmosphere, you play there, you try to do a good job there.
“Since then, I’ve probably enjoyed it there more than I did before, so it was a really good feeling and it’s nice to look back on, and hopefully we can make more (memories) next year.
“I think I learned to hold my own under maximum pressure and against the best players, and I felt comfortable. It didn't feel like I was playing in a major championship, it just felt like a regular golf tournament, which was good.”
Dan Brown has made the cut just once in his last eight starts.
He is the only leader in the British Open tonight.
Never Give Up 💪#Open pic.twitter.com/RnzFHeIWof
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) July 18, 2024
“It doesn’t feel any more intense than the DP World Tour. Obviously you feel some pressure, but it’s the same feeling you get when you’re competing for the title here.
“I wouldn’t put any more pressure than normal, just go out there and see what happens and hopefully by the end of the week you can get to that level.”
Following his first DP World Tour title at the ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics last season, Brown’s status is on the rise when he arrives at the OAKS Course at PGA National Prague.
He’s 56th in the Race to Dubai rankings with Rolex and he can still accomplish a lot on the back nine and in the DP World Tour Play-offs this season, though he’s happy to play golf and see what happens.
“I don’t set goals,” he said. “I find that I put too much pressure on myself and if I don’t achieve them I get more annoyed and frustrated than usual, so I just try to enjoy it,” he said.
“You take it one shot at a time, and as long as you put 100 percent effort into each shot, that’s all you can do.”
Brown's golf skills not only won him the attention of a new audience, but his decision to stop and take selfies with some fans while leading the 54th hole at the Open also went viral online.
“That kind of thing doesn’t affect me,” he said.
“From a golf perspective, you can easily switch off the ball while walking between shots and do things like that, as long as it doesn’t slow down your playing partner.
“Once you're in the frame, it doesn't really matter whether you're taking a selfie or whatever. I think it was a beautiful moment and people enjoyed it.”