16st golfer can’t wait for tee time in St Andrews
Larger than life and twice as hungry, the sporting sensation known as “Beef” has landed in Fife.
And golf hero Andrew Johnston isn’t just ready to play – he’s ready to eat. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Mail, he shares his favourite aspects of Scottish cuisine.
The 16st golfer, known for his trademark curly beard and largerthan- life personality, admits he was just as excited about sampling Scotland’s culinary delights as he was about playing in the prestigious Dunhill Cup.
The 27-year-old, of Barnet, north London, whose grandmother was Scottish, said: “This is my third year at the Dunhill and I absolutely love it, not just for the amazing courses but also for the atmosphere and the food.
“I got ice cream from Jannettas the last time I was here and it was to die for.
“I’m also looking forward to a curry from The Balaka as the other golfers keep telling me it’s awesome.
“You would think with a name like ‘Beef ’, I would be a big fan of haggis but I don’t like it.
“A deep-fried Mars bar, on the other hand, is something I know I would love. I still can’t get over when you ask for a pizza or burger supper up here, they actually batter the whole lot – wicked.”
Beef, who told fans he was going to celebrate his win at this year’s Spanish Open by “getting hammered”, admits that he is off the wagon at the moment.
He said: “I go through patches when I train a lot and eat really healthily and lose a lot of weight and then I just decide to enjoy myself.
“It doesn’t seem to affect my game either way. I’m not on a strict regime at the minute. You have to enjoy life and that’s what I’m doing.”
Beef, who has been partnering American businessman Jim Crane at the Dunhill Cup, went from being a golf nobody to a household name after The Open championship at Troon earlier this year.
While his nickname gave the fans something to shout about, it was his game and down-to-earth interviews that turned him into an instant hit with golfers across the world.
Beef, who is one- quarter Jamaican, three- quarters Engl ish and a wee bit Scottish, said The Open was one of the best golf ing experiences of his life.
He said: “My whole fami ly came up to see me play at Troon. Even my little niece Summer was there che er ing me on. I remember looking up into the gallery when I made a birdie at the 13th and seeing my mum crying, overwhelmed by it all. I had to hold back the tears and keep playing as I thought of all the things my family had done to get me to that point.” It was after The Open that Beef mania started to take off, with golf fans