Five things to know about Ryan Brehm

With a nine under par 63 at Kingsbarns, American Ryan Brehm set the pace on day one in his first ever appearance at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Here's five things to know about him

First time at the Home of Golf

Although Brehm first turned pro in 2008, this is his first time playing a professional tournament at the Home of Golf. Playing his first full DP World Tour event earlier this year at the Danish Golf Championship, Brehm also played in the Amgen Irish Open, missing the cut at both.

It would be easy to speculate that that experience helped him ahead of his opening round at Kingsbarns in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, where he opened with a brilliant 63. Yet what might be surprising to some is that he achieved that score without playing the course on any of his practice days.

Brehm started his round with a birdie on the tenth, followed by three more on his outward nine on the 12th, 16th and 18th holes. Another birdie at the first hole moved him to five under for the day, but the highlight of his round came two holes later with an eagle on the par-five third. Two more closing gains at the seventh and ninth capped off a stunning opening round for the American, who set the clubhouse lead.

The Michigan native said he felt incredibly comfortable in Scotland, and that he was reminded somewhat of the conditions back home during Thursday's round.

"It reminds me a lot of -- I live in northern Michigan, it reminds me a lot of there, similar grass and conditions, and the weather, a little rainy, comes in squalls," he said.

"I've felt comfortable ever since I stepped off the plane."

Winner on the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour

With a gap of three years between each of his victories, Brehm has two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour and one PGA Tour victory in his career. He claimed the WinCo Foods Portland Open in 2016 and the 2019 LECOM Health Challenge on the Korn Ferry Tour, but his most notable win came at the 2022 Puerto Rico Open on the PGA Tour by a margin of six shots under a huge amount of pressure.

Brehm, who had his wife Chelsey on his bag, needed to win or finish in solo second to keep his PGA Tour card following a one-tournament minor medical extension he was granted at the 2021 Zurich Classic. With five birdies in his first 11 holes, Brehm extended his three stroke overnight lead to six with a five-under-par 67 to finish on 20-under-par.

Nine missed cuts in a row

Before his bistering start in Scotland, World Number 1407 Brehm - whose highest rank has been 220 in the Official World Golf Ranking - headed into the week with just three made cuts to his name all year.

Since victory in Puerto Rico, Brehm has finished inside the top 20 on three occasions: The 2023 Honda Classic (T14), The 2023 Bermuda Butterfield Open (T20), and the 2024 Farmers Insurance Open, where he finished tied 20th.

One of the longest drives in PGA Tour history

In 2023, Ryan Brehm hit the second longest drive of the year and one of the longest in history at The Sentry in Kapalua.

A place where long drives seem to appear more than any other event, Brehm hit a 455-yard drive on the 18th hole. He ended that week in a tie for 35th.

A long driver of the golf ball in general, twice Brehm has finished in the top five of the year for driving distance on the PGA Tour: In the 2016-2017 season (fourth), and the 2019-2020 season (third)

Two Major Appearances

Brehm has played on the biggest stage twice in his career, at the 2017 U.S. Open, and the 2022 US PGA Championship.

He made it through Sectional Qualifying to tee up in his first Major at Erin Hills in 2017, the same year he held a PGA Tour card for the first time. He opened with a 71, but added further rounds of 74, 72 and 77 to end his week in a tie for 53rd.

Brehm next made his Major appearance at the 2022 US PGA Championship, qualifying due to his victory in Peurto Rico. An opening 76 (+6) put him on the backfoot, and he followed it up with a 73 (+3), five strokes outside the cut line.