Chants of Beeeef! once echoed across fairways from Europe to America, following a bearded, grinning golfer who became an instant fan favorite. But in recent years, those chants have grown quieter and Andrew 'Beef' Johnston has been a less frequent sight on tour leaderboards. This article breaks down exactly what happened to Beef, covering his meteoric rise, the physical and mental injuries that sidelined him, and what the lovable Englishman is up to today.
For many golf fans, 2016 was the year of Beef. Andrew Johnston wasn't a new face on the European Tour, but that was the year he burst into the mainstream consciousness. It started in April when he carded a one-shot victory at the Real Club Valderrama to win the Spanish Open, his first European Tour title. His refreshingly honest post-win interview, where he simply said he couldn't wait to "get hammered" with his mates, was a breath of fresh air in a sport often seen as staid and serious.
But the real explosion came a few months later at The 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon. With his beaming smile, signature beard, and constant interaction with the crowd, Beef became the undisputed people's champion. He didn't just look different, he played brilliant golf, finishing in 8th place and earning a legion of new fans on both sides of the Atlantic. The "Beef!" chants were born, and a cult hero was established.
His appeal was simple: he was one of us. He looked more like the guy you'd have a pint with after a round than a finely-tuned athlete. He was granted a PGA Tour card for the 2017 season based on his strong play, and the US market eagerly welcomed him. It seemed Beef was on a trajectory to become a global star, but the immense pressure of the tour and the physical nature of the game were about to take their toll.
The transition to the PGA Tour is tough for any player, and for Beef, the heavy schedule and constant travel began to wear him down. While he had moments of solid play, he struggled to find the consistency that defined his 2016 season. But the main culprit behind his disappearance from contention wasn't just a simple dip in form, it was a debilitating injury.
Starting in 2019 and worsening over the next couple of years, Beef began to struggle with a severe tendon injury in his left thumb. From a golf coach's perspective, an injury to the lead hand's thumb is one of the most difficult to overcome. Here's why:
He tried to play through it, but the results were a painful-to-watch series of missed cuts and withdrawals. His world ranking, once inside the top 100, plummeted. The joy that once radiated from him on the course was replaced with the visible frustration and pain of a player battling his own body.
While the thumb injury was the physical cause of his struggles, Beef bravely opened up about the profound mental impact it had on him. In a 2019 blog post, he admitted that winning had paradoxically made him miserable. The pressure to perform, to live up to the "Beef" persona, and the fear of letting his fans down had stripped the fun from the game.
This is a common, yet rarely discussed, challenge for professional athletes. For us as amateur golfers, a bad round is disappointing. For a pro, a bad round affects their livelihood, their ranking, and their career. When your identity and income are tied directly to your score, it is immensely difficult to maintain a healthy perspective.
Beef's willingness to speak openly about his mental health struggles was just as important as his victory at Valderrama. He gave a voice to the anxiety and self-doubt that every single golfer feels, from a 30-handicapper to a tour pro. He decided to step back, prioritize his health, and undergo surgery on his thumb in early 2022. It wasn’t a retirement, it was a necessary and intelligent reset to save his career and well-being.
Beef's journey offers a powerful lesson for all golfers: listening to your body and mind is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. Pushing through sharp pain is one of the worst things you can do. It leads to bad habits and serious injury. Likewise, if golf is consistently making you stressed or unhappy, stepping away for a week or two is often the best medicine. Redefining your golfing goals - from "I must break 80" to "I want to enjoy my walk" - can fundamentally change your relationship with the game for the better.
So, where is Beef today? The great news is that he is back playing competitive golf. After a long and arduous rehabilitation process, he returned to the DP World Tour in 2023 using a medical exemption. The path hasn't been easy, but in 2024, we are seeing signs of the old Beef returning. He’s making cuts, posting high finishes, and most importantly, he’s playing with a smile on his face again.
Beyond his playing career, he has smartly diversified his presence in the golf world. He's found a new way to connect with the audience that adores him:
Andrew 'Beef' Johnston may not be topping every leaderboard, but he is far from gone. He’s navigating the sport on his own terms, blending competition with media work and family life, and carving out a sustainable - and happy - career in the sport he loves.
The story of what happened to "Beef" is a tale of a golfer who got everything he ever wanted, only to find it wasn't what he expected. His journey through injury, self-doubt, and recovery has made him an even more relatable and respected figure in the game, showing that true success is about more than just a trophy cabinet.
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