Golf fans love a comeback story, and Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston just gave his fans what they wanted. After nearly 14 months away from competitive golf on the DP World Tour, the Englishman not only made an appearance but also made headlines on Friday by birdieing the final hole at the Genesis Championship in South Korea, making the cut by just one stroke.

“Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston is playing in his first event since the BMW Championship ’24 this week, and he just made a birdie on the last hole to make the cut by 1 at the Genesis Championship on the DP World Tour. Good to see him back,” Flushing it Golf noted on X.

Clearly, there’s no doubt Andrew wanted to make it to the weekend at the Woo Jeong Hills Country Club. The 36-year-old had spent months recovering from a thumb injury that required surgery after a misdiagnosis delayed treatment for three crucial months.

Earlier in March this year, Johnston had learnt that he was misdiagnosed about his thumb injury and it cost him months of playing competitively. After seeing a specialist in Singapore, Johnston learned he had a complete ligament tear and partial tears in two other tendons, and this could have been addressed months earlier.

“Are you f—ing kidding me? I wasted three months at the end of last season being misdiagnosed…I was so pissed off with that. So angry,” Johnston told Alex Perry at Today’s Golfer. “So basically, I lost from the start of October until the start of January, being told the wrong thing. If I’d found out at the start of that time, I could have had surgery and be back playing by now.”

But this wasn’t his first time sitting out as he struggled with injuries and mental health issues even last year. He skipped playing the first half of the season on the DP World Tour and only returned to play in June at the 2024 European Open, where he missed the cut. For a player who had once captured attention with an 8th-place finish at the 2016 Open, falling outside the top 2,000 from 74 in World Rankings was a shocking low.

He couldn’t play at the Open last year, and teed it up instead at the Barracuda Championship. But soon after, Johnston found his rhythm again with solid finishes at the 2024 OMEGA European Masters in Switzerland (3rd) & tied 18th at the Betfred British Masters. His finish in Switzerland was his best since the 2020 Celtic Classic, and he admitted that it was a “relief” among a “tough couple of years.”

Now, as he is back at the Genesis Championship, fans cannot help but cheer for him, knowing Johnston has fought hard to return.

Golf Fans React to Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston’s Big Return

Fans were quick to share their excitement when Flushing It Golf posted that Johnston had made the cut in his first event in 14 months.

One fan wrote, “Very pleased for him. Comes across as such a grounded, humble guy. Good luck, beef,” capturing the widespread admiration for Johnston both on and off the course. It’s clear that supporters aren’t just rooting for his game; they’re also rooting for the man who is known for being humble.

The excitement was noticeable across social media, with several fans quipping the same thing. “Beeeffff! Really nice chap, great to see him back playing golf! Good luck for the weekend Andrew,” one fan said while another declared his comeback as “The look of pure golf ecstasy!”

One fan even recalled a personal encounter with the Englishman, showing how his warmth left a lasting impression — “Top guy, he fist pumped me & my son at last year’s BMW Wentworth, great to have him back.” For many, seeing him return to play after all that he had gone through was a big deal. But for him to also make it to the weekend, that too, so narrowly? That made the moment even sweeter.

Another fan summed up his admiration in simple words  — “Fantastic. Quality…,” capturing both admiration for Johnston’s skill and the joy of seeing him back in action.

All in all, these reactions show that Beef’s return isn’t just about golf. It’s about his resilience and the enduring charm that has made him a fan favorite among golf fans.