Fans' favourite Dan Brown grabbed a shock share of the early clubhouse lead at The Open at Royal Birkdale, shooting a four-under 66 despite missing 10 of 13 cuts this season. The Englishman, who burst onto the scene at Royal Troon in 2024, mixed seven birdies with three bogeys and hopes his mid-round smoking habit — seven or eight cigarettes per round — will be permitted to continue amid fire-risk warnings on the burnt-out course. "Hopefully I'm in similar area on the leaderboard come Sunday," said Brown, a two-time DP World Tour winner.

Brown shared the lead with playing partner Sungjae Im, while Scotland's Robert Mac Intyre sat one shot back after a three-under 67 featuring a 45-foot opening-hole birdie. Mac Intyre, fresh off a tied-third at the Genesis Scottish Open, aims to become the first Scotsman to win a major since Paul Lawrie in 1999, admitting he "could happily walk away from the game" with an Open victory. Royal Birkdale member Matthew Baldwin opened with a 72 after hitting the tournament's first tee shot. Hot, humid conditions have prompted fire-hazard warnings for spectators.