Surprise Open leader Daniel Brown admits he used to hate links golf but has learned to love the game again and his major debut proved it.

The Northallerton golfer shot a bogey-free 65 with a birdie at the last lifting him to six under, a shot ahead of 2019 champion Shane Lowry.

But having played hundreds of rounds on courses similar to Royal Troon as an amateur he lost all interest in links golf.

“I used to hate it. As an amateur you play it all the time and you get fed up of hitting good shots and ending up in pot bunkers,” he said.

“I’ve found since I’ve not been playing links golf too much I’ve enjoyed it more.

“I was nervous on the first tee, obviously, being in my first major, but I hit a few nice shots early doors, so I got settled into the round pretty quick.”

However, having outscored the world’s best the 29-year-old is trying to stay grounded.

Asked if he would find it difficult to sleep with his name top of the leaderboard he added: “I have done in the past but I know there are still 54 holes left and a long way to go.

“I don’t think I’ll struggle to sleep tonight after that late finish.

“I’m going to try and keep my feet on the ground and take on the job again tomorrow.”

Brown is a second-year DP World Tour pro and won the ISPS Handa World Invitational on Tour.

However, he had to come through final qualifying at West Lancashire Golf Club near Liverpool earlier this month.

“Obviously it was huge. You don’t realise how big it is going to be,” said the world number 272, who is playing with what he described as a “niggle in his back”.

“I went into West Lancs knowing I was in the PGA Tour event in America in Lake Taho or playing in The Open so it was a win-win for me, I was either playing in America or playing here.”

Brown went out in the day’s penultimate group and his birdie putt at the last finally dropped at 9.33pm but although he was tied for the lead coming down the 18th most of the spectators had already headed for home.

He tees off at 11.04am on Friday and is expecting to see a few more people then.

“Friday might be a little bit busier than maybe it was going to be but it will be nice to have a proper major, Open Championship tomorrow.”