Beef Returns to His Roots

Popular European Tour professional Andrew 'Beef' Johnston, who secured his first victory earlier this season at the Open de Espana, returned to his roots by supporting the Jamega Pro Golf Tour at Enfield in North London.

The 27-year-old from the capital, who found himself in the penultimate pairing at the Open Championship in July, shot three under par to tie for third in the Pro-Am contest on a course he had played numerous times in the past as an amateur.

He then donated his share of the prize money to The Noel Johnston Foundation, a charity set up in his father’s name to encourage children into sports.

Brought up in a working class family, Johnston’s mother was a dinner lady and his dad was more used to driving buses than fairways.

And having played on the European Tour since 2012, he credits his apprenticeship on the Jamega Tour as the foundation for his steady rise to success.

“I turned professional in 2009 and started playing Jamega,” said Johnston, who finished eighth in this season’s Open Championship at Royal Troon. “They were so helpful. It got me used to playing for money and trying to win tournaments. It was a really good challenge and there are some good players here.”

“It is so pleasing that Andrew Johnston has never forgotten his roots in the professional game and supports the Jamega Pro Golf Tour whenever possible,” Gary Harris, Jamega tournament director, says. “As a tour, we really appreciate that.”

It was Jamega’s fourth pro-am event of the season after earlier competition at Luton Hoo, Magnolia Park and The Wychwood. It was followed by the two-day professional tournament that saw victory for another rising star hoping to emulate Johnston’s success.

James Allan, 21, from Chelmsford, clinched his second professional victory after an impressive win at Magnolia Park at the start of the month.

He trailed by two shots overnight to two-time 2016 Jamega winner Jamie Abbott but responded with five birdies in six holes before the turn and consolidated his lead on the back nine to finish with a run of six consecutive pars and win by three strokes.

Final Jamega Pro Tour Leaderboard

1^st James Allan -9 135 (67, 68)

2^nd Jamie Abbott -6 138 (65, 73)

3^rd Rudi I’Anon -5 139 (70, 69)

4^th Liam Harper -4 140 (72, 68)

      Jonathan Poulton -4 140 (72, 68)

For more information about the Jamega Tour and its events, visit http://www.jamegatour.co.uk/.