Daniel Brown Player Profile And What's In The Bag

DANIEL BROWN survived a scare to claim his maiden DP World Tour victory in just his 20th start as he held his nerve for a five-shot win at the ISPS Handa World Invitational.

The Englishman had been top of the leaderboard since carding an opening 64 and entered the final day with a six-shot lead, although he did not have it all his own way at Galgorm Castle.

He saw his advantage trimmed to two on the back nine but closed out victory with a 69 that saw him finish at 15 under ahead of Alex Fitzpatrick, who carded a finishing 68.

It has been a long road to the winner's circle for Brown, who played his first DP World Tour event at the 2015 KLM Open but had to wait seven years and two months for his second appearance.

In between he played on the EuroPro Tour and European Challenge Tour, playing no ranking events in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, before earning his full playing privileges on the Challenge Tour for 2022 thanks to his third runner-up finish of the 2021 EuroPro Tour campaign at the season-ending Matchroom Tour Championship.

He finished 30th on last season's Road to Mallorca before graduating from the Qualifying School and after making 16 of 19 cuts this season - including his first 13 - and securing three top tens, he can now put a first professional victory on his CV at the age of 28.

• Player Profile
• Last 10 Events
• Key Stats
• What's In The Bag

"It feels amazing," said Brown, who moves to 35th on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex after 12 consecutive sub-70 rounds.

"I could never have dreamed this up in the past however many years and months.

"I didn't really putt great yesterday, it was a bit nervy, I was struggling to get the pace and it was kind of similar again today. Once we got down the closing stretch... I was just trying to make sure it was a decent holeable pace."

Brown secured a tie for seventh at the Barbasol Championship last time out to move into the top 70 in the Race to Dubai and revealed the knowledge he would have a card for next season allowed him to change his mindset this week.

"America was a bit of a turning point," he said. "That gave me a lot of confidence that I can do it and I sewed my card up there pretty much, so this week and the rest of the year I'm just trying to enjoy it a bit more and freewheel.”

Brown wobbled with three successive bogeys from the 11th which suddenly left him only two ahead of a charging Fitzpatrick, brother of last year's US Open winner Matt.

However, former EuroPro Tour and Challenge Tour player Brown showed the prowess which had seen him post rounds of 64, 66, 67 over the first three days, as he birdied the next two holes and the 17th which meant he could enjoy the walk up to the final hole.

"I just managed to hit some good shots after the blip on 11, 12, 13," said Brown, whose outstanding driving was the feature of his superb play in Northern Ireland.

"I could never have dreamed this up in the past, however many years or whatever it is. I don't think it's sunk in."

England's Eddie Pepperell had his best result of the season as he finished third at seven under after a third consecutive round of 68 achieved with a set of clubs he had built on-site on Wednesday.

South African Wilco Nienaber, Dane Marcus Helligkilde, Spaniard Adrian Otaegui, England's John Parry and Scot Connor Syme finished at five under, one clear of English pair Matthew Baldwin and Matthew Southgate.

Player Profile

Daniel Brown was born on November 19, 1994.

He won the English Amateur Championship and the Dutch Junior Open.

Brown graduated to the Challenge Tour from the PGA Euro Pro Tour in 2021. Enjoyed an impressive first season on the Challenge Tour, finishing 30th on the Road to Mallorca Rankings.

He tied for seventh place at the Barabsol Championship, held the same week as The Open Championship. He was fifth at the South African Open, ninth at the SDC Championship and 17th at the Made in Himmerland.

This is Brown’s first full season on the DP World Tour. He began the week in 74th place in the Race to Dubai. This was just his 20th start on the DP World Tour. The win takes him to 35th place in the Race to Dubai rankings.

Last 10 Events

ISPS Handa World Invitational - 1st

Barbasol Championship - T7th

Made in Himmerland - T17th

Betfred British Masters Hosted by Sir Nick Faldo - CUT

BMW International Open - CUT

Porsche European Open - CUT

KLM Open - 80th

DS Automobiles Italian Open - T57th

Korea Championship - T32nd

Jonsson Workwear Open - T17th

Key Stats (DP World Tour: 2022/23)

Driving Distance - 299.50 Yards

Driving Accuracy - 66.78%

Greens in Regulation - 65.86%

Sand Saves - 65.12%

Putts Per Round - 28.19

Scoring Average - 70.45

What's In Daniel Brown's Golf Bag?

Driver: Ping G430 LST (9.0 Degrees)

Woods: Ping G430 Max (3-Wood, 15 Degrees)

Hybrids: Ping G430 (19 Degrees) & Callaway Apex UW (19 Degrees)

Irons: Ping Crossover (2-Iron to 3-Iron) & Ping i230 (4-Iron to Pitching Wedge)

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 (52 Degrees & 58 Degrees)

Putter: Ping PLD Milled Oslo 4