Open Championship's everyday hero Dan Brown looking to turn Troon experience into DP World Tour glory

The 29-year-old from Northallerton was the every-day hero who led the Open at Royal Troon after the first round, played in the final pairing in the howling winds of Saturday, and even when his challenge faded on the Sunday, still clung to a 10th-place finish that earns him a return to the game’s oldest major championship next year.

All of this on his debut at the top table of men’s golf, and coming after a year in which he had hitherto failed to replicate the heights of his rookie season on the DP World Tour.

Brown tees it up at the D+D Real Czech Masters on Thursday as one of the headline attractions thanks to his exploits at Troon, a week of his life that evokes fond memories.

“It's obviously very positive and I probably look back at it with more fond memories than when I was actually there,” said the Romanby Golf Club member.

“You get a bit engrossed in the whole atmosphere when you're playing and you're there and you're trying to do a job.

“Since then, I've probably actually enjoyed it more than when I was there so it's quite nice, it's been nice to reflect and hopefully we create some more (memories) next year.”

More importantly it has helped convince him that he has the game to compete at that level.

"I think I learned that I can hold my own under the biggest pressure and against the best players and I felt comfortable,” said Brown.

“It didn't feel like I was playing in a major, it just felt like a normal golf tournament, which was nice.

“It didn't feel any bigger than a DP World Tour event would feel. Obviously you feel a bit of pressure but it was just the same as when you're in contention out here.

“I'm not putting any more pressure on it than I would do normally, just go out and see what happens and hopefully at the end of the week you're there or thereabouts.”

After a three-week summer break, golfers on the DP World Tour face a busy three months with 11 tournaments, 10 of those in Europe, left in the sprint to the circuit’s play-off series in the United Arab Emirates in November.

Courtesy of his performance at Troon, Brown begins that stretch in 56th place on the order of merit as opposed to 75th where he started Open week, but that potentially career-changing performance has not altered his principles.

“I don't set goals,” said Brown, who recorded a maiden tour win in Northern Ireland last August en route to a 50th-place finish on the Race to Dubai rankings.

“I find I put too much pressure on myself and if I don't achieve those goals then I get a little bit aggravated and more frustrated than I normally would so I just try and enjoy it.

“You go one shot at a time and as long as you invest 100 per cent into each golf shot, that's all you can do.”

Plenty of Yorkshire golfers are teeing it up at PGA National Oaks Prague, including former Masters winner Danny Willett as he continues his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery.

Dan Bradbury, Alex Fitzpatrick, Sam Bairstow, Joe Dean, Doncaster teenager Joshua Berry and Daniel Gavins are also in the field.

Over in America, the three-week FedEx Cup play-offs get underway at the St Jude Championship in Memphis.

Sheffield’s Matt Fitzpatrick is in the 70-man field alongside Tommy Fleetwood, fresh from his silver medal at the Paris Olympics.

The top 50 advance to the second week.