Andrew 'Beef' Johnston Ready To Crack America

Beef told the BBC that he would play on the PGA Tour up until the BMW PGA Championship, and also revealed how he received comments saying his beard was 'bad for golf'

Andrew 'Beef' Johnston Ready To Crack America

Now armed with his PGA Tour card, Spanish Open champion Andrew 'Beef' Johnston has revealed that he will begin his 2017 playing on the PGA Tour in the United States.

Johnston told BBC 5 Live Breakfast, "I'm going to play the first few months in the States. I haven’t played much over there so I want to go over and experience, see what it’s like try and get a feel for it and then come back. My first tournament in Europe I think will be Wentworth [at the BMW PGA Championship]."

Johnston's interview after securing his 2017 PGA Tour card:

Beef earned his 2017 Card with a fourth place finish at the Albersons Boise Open on the Web.com to finish inside the top-25 on the money list.

Johnston is known for his beard and told BBC Radio 4's Today Show how it came about, revealing that he received comments that his beard was 'bad for golf'.

"It was one of them things I grew out as a bit of fun. A while back I hadn’t shaved it for a while and it was a bit long and a few of my friends on tour made some passing comments. I said I'm gonna grow it out over Christmas, come back and its gonna be bigger and we’ll have a laugh about it and then it was big and when I won Spain I was actually gonna get rid of it that week.

"After that I had quite a few messages like your beard is bad for golf. I was like I’ll keep it now."

Asked whether he embraces his ambassadorial role in modernising golf’s image he said: "Yes. The more people I can get playing golf the better."

Johnston has risen to 86th in the Official World Golf Rankings, peaking at 74th, and finished 26th on the 2016 Race to Dubai.