500-1 underdog Dan Brown admits he worries about his parents seeing him smoking after he was spotted sneaking a cigarette between holes at The Open

Shock Open Championship contender Dan Brown has revealed his interest astatine being spotted sneaking a cigaret betwixt holes during his unprecedented march up nan leaderboard. 

The 29-year-old Yorkshireman ended nan 3rd information tied for 2nd and conscionable a changeable of nan lead. Brown, who was classed No 272 successful nan charismatic World Golf Ranking heading into The Open, has amazed galore pinch his ascent fixed he only made his first trim successful almost 4 months astatine past week's Genesis Scottish Open. Before that nan past trim he made was backmost successful March successful South Africa for nan Jonsson Workwear Open.

Not only is his capacity a daze considering he hadn't made a DP Tour Cut since March but connected his Major debut he became nan first subordinate successful men’s Major history to sprout a bogey-free 65 aliases little successful his first profession Major, which is conscionable unthinkable and remarkable.

If his celebrated sanction aliases improbable communicative weren't enough, Brown caught much attraction erstwhile he was spotted calming his nerves between Royal Troon holes. 

He conceded that nan bad wont was 1 he'd for illustration to kicked but explained it is thing he does to easiness nerves. Brown besides opened up connected his worry, pinch his parents successful attendance.

'It's conscionable a spot of a bad wont that I've sewage into,' he said. 'You cognize what, I only really do it erstwhile I'm golfing, to beryllium honest, truthful I suppose it could beryllium a coping mechanism. I was tying to sneak. 

'My mum and dada are here. There's a batch of group watching,' he continued connected his attempts astatine discretion. 'I don't cognize really group are going to return it. Obviously I'm judge a batch of group know. 

'[My parents] know, but I don't do it successful beforehand of them, aliases I don't want to it successful beforehand of them, truthful I effort and hid it.'

Brown's unexpected bid to declare nan Claret Jug took astatine deed astatine nan extremity of play connected Saturday erstwhile a double bogey that saw him autumn retired of nan lead astatine The Open Championship.

Still, he remains successful pinch a chance of claiming an improbable win. He will tee disconnected conscionable earlier 2pm pinch two-time Major victor and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler connected Sunday. 

He is bidding to go nan first Englishman to triumph The Open since Sir Nick Faldo successful 1992 and nan first to do truthful astatine Royal Troon since 1923.