Andrew 'Beef' Johnston Reveals Return Date And Ryder Cup Hopes After Long-Term Hand Injury

Andrew 'Beef' Johnston has revealed he plans to make his long-awaited return from injury in late November at the Joburg Open after a nine-month spell on the sidelines.

Johnston has made just one appearance since November 2021 as he struggled to deal with a recurring hand injury. 

The fan-favourite Englishman made a return at January’s Dubai Desert Classic - going on to finish T38 - but had to undergo surgery the following week after the injury flared up again.

However, having recovered from the surgery, Johnston hopes to make his return to full-time competition at the start of the DP World Tour's 2024 season, which begins in South Africa on 23th November.

"I can't wait," the 34-year-old said on his podcast, Beef's Golf Club, when announcing his comeback. "Since I've been back from the Ryder Cup I've been practising hitting balls and the hands getting better all the time.

"I've started a new programme where I am doing a lot more mobility in the gym. A lot more stretching and hopefully I can find the balance were I become more flexible and don't become injured again."

Johnston won his maiden DP World Tour title in the 2016 Open de Espana and finished T8 at The Open in the same year which catapulted him up to a career-highest ranking of World No. 74. 

His charismatic persona and nickname made him a hit with fans in Europe and America but persistent trouble with injuries have seen him drop down to 1,738th in the world.

Johnston is hopeful of playing all four events before the close of the year and has revealed his ambitious plan to try and make the European Ryder Cup team for Bethpage in 2025.

"Injury has kept me away from the game for much of the last two years and nothing has provided me with as much motivation to get back and be better than ever than the week at Marco Simone," he said in his column with Today's Golfer. "It blew my mind and I’m going to give it everything to ensure I’m part of the next European team.

"I’ve got a lot of fire in me to make that Ryder Cup team and I’m setting myself high targets. People ask if I want to win tournaments, play on the PGA Tour and play or win Majors ­– of course, I do, but the way I look at it is that if I’ve made a Ryder Cup team then a lot of those other things should have fallen into place."