Ever since his first PGA Tour major, The Open Championship, in 2024, the world has known three things about Daniel Brown. First, he is a fan’s player. Second, he loves to smoke. And third, he has a devil-may-care attitude. But who knew he would combine all those attributes at the Waste Management Phoenix Open?

In a video uploaded on X by NUCLR GOLF, the Englishman could be seen handing out his pack of cigarettes to a fan. Turns out, the fan, who was standing quite close to Brown, asked him if he could have a cigarette. Instead of just one, the golfer handed him an entire packet.

Interestingly, as the fan was quickly taking out just one cigarette from the pack to return it, Brown was standing right there, waiting, holding a lighter. The fan took the black lighter from him and, with his friend covering the flame from the wind, lit the cigarette. The interaction is a reminder of when he stopped to create one of the most indelible moments in the Open Championship two years ago.

Then, he took a quick drag from his cigarette and opted to take a quick selfie with his friends before taking a memorable shot. Then, analyst Luke Donald had already made up his mind about what Brown would be for the golfing world:

“I thought Bryson [DeChambeau] was pro-crowd. I mean, this is another level.”

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But while Brown may have won hearts, he lost the tournament. He finished two over par, missing the cut for the WM Phoenix Open this year. This was not the only instance where Brown was spotted with his cigarettes on a fairway.

At the 2024 Open Championship, the conditions at Royal Troon Golf Club were arduous. With a strong breeze blowing and heavy rain, the golfers found it extremely challenging to maintain their form. But as Brown has admitted, golfing is the only time he smokes, so perhaps this is his coping mechanism. He certainly proved it there.

Brown quickly lit a cigarette in the rain-soaked greens. Perhaps, to reduce the stress of playing in a big tournament like The Open.

The English golfer admitted back in 2024 that smoking is a bad habit, and he sneaks in a puff or two only as part of his coping mechanism. But seeing him being one of them, his fans took to social media to react to the latest incident. 

Fans share their two cents after Daniel Brown shares a cigarette with a fan

Brown has always managed to impress fans, whether he wins or loses. The WMPO was no different for him. Highlighting how Brown did not react to the situation differently, even though he was still in the game, made a fan mention, “One of us.”

Another fan went down memory lane and shared a similar experience that he got to share with the English golfing legend, John Daly. He praised the sporting gesture that the athletes exhibited on the fairways.

“I got one from John Daly at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits one year. I asked as a joke but he happily stopped and gave me one.”

Of course, not everyone is pro-smoking, especially when you’re trying to enjoy a tough golf competition. Hence, some were quick to pass a blatant opinion as they said, “That’s why he lost”.

However, since everyone already knows Brown’s habits and how he is open about it, some added a different perspective. One netizen added, “He got paid wasn’t free” while another fan sarcastically dropped a comment, “Trip darts don’t count right.”

Well, if that’s the case, he doesn’t smoke at all, right? Meanwhile, being the last player to get his PGA Tour card, Brown will certainly try to improve his record moving forward. This season, he has made cuts in two of the four events he started in. He had a T19 finish in the Sony Open to kick off his first year on the PGA Tour.