GREENSBORO, N.C. – Look out Piedmont Triad – “Beef” is coming to town. European Tour golfer Andrew “Beef” Johnston, one of the most popular golfers in the world, will play the 2017 Wyndham Championship, the tournament announced today. The 78th annual Wyndham Championship is set for Aug. 14-20, 2017 at Sedgefield Country Club.
Johnston joins three-time Wyndham winner Davis Love III, 2011 Wyndham winner Webb Simpson, defending champion Si Woo Kim, former FedExCup champions Bill Haas and Billy Horschel, former world No. 1 Luke Donald and Major championship winners Jason Dufner and Graeme McDowell in the field.
So why is Andrew Johnston known worldwide as “Beef?” When he was 12, he let his hair grow out, and it grew in all directions. A friend thought his hair looked like beef and began calling him “beefhead.” That name was shortened to “Beef,” and the golfer known all over the planet as simply “Beef” now relishes his nickname and has fun with his reputation as a professional golfer that wants to play great golf and have fun doing it.
“Obviously when I was growing up, I was watching Tiger, Sergio, Phil and stuff like that, and I’d go and imitate shots and stuff like that,” Johnston said prior to the 2016 PGA Championship. “But as a personality and stuff, just be yourself, man. Because the more I’ve been myself, the more comfortable I’ve felt out on the golf course. The more I’ve just had fun and be me, the better I’ve played. So you’ve just got to be comfortable in who you are, what you do. Don’t be ashamed to be different or anything, you know, that’s you. And no matter who you are, where you are, where you’re from, people should embrace that, you know? Just feel comfortable and enjoy your golf, man, or whatever you do. I just seem to enjoy having a good time and having a laugh. So I guess it comes across as a bit different, yeah. That’s just me.”
Johnston, a London, England native and resident, secured his 2016-’17 PGA TOUR card through his play on the Web.com Tour. He has three international victories to his credit including the 2016 Real Club Valderrama Open de España, hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation. He finished tied for 10th at this season’s Puerto Rico Open for his best PGA TOUR finish to date and has two solid Open Championship performances finishing eighth last year and tied for 27th in 2017. He will make his first Wyndham Championship appearance later this month. Johnston is currently 109th in the Official World Golf Rankings and 80th in the current European Tour Race to Dubai point standings.
About the Wyndham Championship:
Contested annually on the Donald Ross-designed course at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., the Wyndham Championship was founded in 1938 and is the sixth-oldest event on the PGA TOUR excluding the Majors. Tickets are available at http://wyndhamchampionship.com, www.Ticketmaster.com or through the tournament office at (336) 379-1570. The tournament thanks title sponsor Wyndham Worldwide, presenting sponsor BB&T and Premier Partners, Cadillac, Harris Teeter, Lincoln Financial, McConnell Golf, Sunbrella® and VF Corporation for their continued support. Additional tournament information and sponsorship information are available at www.wyndhamchampionship.com. Stay connected with the Wyndham Championship through its social media channels, including the Wyndham Championship Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, Foursquare, Flickr and YouTube.
About Wyndham Worldwide:
Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN) is one of the largest global hospitality companies, providing travelers with access to a collection of trusted hospitality brands in hotels, vacation ownership, and unique accommodations including vacation exchange, holiday parks, and managed home rentals. With a collective inventory of nearly 130,000 places to stay across more than 110 countries on six continents, Wyndham Worldwide and its 38,000 associates welcome people to experience travel the way they want. This is enhanced by Wyndham Rewards®, the Company’s re-imagined guest loyalty program across its businesses, which is making it simpler for members to earn more rewards and redeem their points faster. For more information, please visit www.wyndhamworldwide.com.
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