​Daniel Brown, one of the early co-leaders at the 2026 Open Championship, is counting on cigarettes to remain in contention at golf’s final major. The 31-year-old Englishman, who has previously been spotted taking smoke breaks and taking selfies during competitive rounds, was asked by reporters if he’d been told not to light up this week given the unusually dry conditions at Royal Birkdale. The query, immediately after Brown carded a 4-under 66 to tie Sungjae Im for the best scores in the clubhouse following the morning wave of tee times in Southport, England, produced a memorable exchange and a revelation Brown preceded with a apology to his mother. “I haven’t been told otherwise, but I’ve been making sure that they’re out,” Brown initially said about his cigarette habit. “There might be a big drop off by Sunday if I’m not allowed.”OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP CUT TRACKER: Live projected line, who’s in dangerBrown also shot up to the top of the leaderboard on Thursday during his Open Championship debut in 2024, and his performance this year should provide a jolt of confidence. He has missed the cut in nine of his 15 appearances on the PGA Tour in 2026. So his relevance the rest of the tournament may be contingent on mid-round cigarettes being permitted. When asked how many cigarettes he had during Thursday’s round, Brown began his answer with, “Sorry mom.””I’m probably on like seven or eight a round,” Brown said. “Stress levels go up and the more I end up having.”Meet Dan Brown, co-leader @TheOpen. pic.twitter.com/9hFGN36zGQ— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 16, 2026Nothing quite like a mid round moving day dart with Downtown Dan Brown after his 12th hole. There may be no bigger legend on the tour. A true man of the people. pic.twitter.com/lyZb6HwpAN— Casey Halpern (@CaseyHalp) May 16, 2026Daniel Brown is ripping heaters in the pouring rain while he’s in second place The Open Championship.LEGEND. pic.twitter.com/B5PbpFbxpI— Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) July 20, 2024This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Sorry, mom.’ Daniel Brown reveals smoking habit at Open Championship