Popular English pro Andrew 'Beef' Johnston is set to make his long-awaited return from injury this week at the DP World Tour's Genesis Championship in South Korea.
Johnston is in the field at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club alongside the likes of Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott as the DP World Tour marks its final regular event before the Playoffs.
Most players teeing it up at the Genesis Championship have their sights set on fulfilling long-term ambitions - be it earning a PGA Tour card or just reaching the $19 million tournaments in the Middle East.
But, for Johnston, he will simply be aiming to enjoying playing competitive rounds again following a considerable time away.
Once a common and extremely popular figure on the DP World Tour, Johnston's past 25 starts have taken place between July 2021 and September 2024.
The 36-year-old hasn't played a competitive tournament since the 2024 BMW PGA Championship due to a complete ligament tear and a partial tear in two tendons in his left thumb.
It was an injury that Johnston has been suffering with for several years now and - following confusion over the crux of the issue - was finally diagnosed and treated via surgery earlier this year.
Sharing an update on Instagram one month after the procedure, Johnston said: "The first month of post surgery. We are getting there.
"It didn’t seem it for a couple weeks but I feel like I’m through the worst bit. I’m feeling really motivated and hungry to get back on the golf course. Bring it on."
His return to golf arrived in June via a casual round alongside his daughter, Harley. Johnston admitted his first shot was a "fat" but was delighted to be swinging a club again.
In another Instagram post, he said: "It’s so good to be back on the course. It felt quite strange and started with a complete fat but had a great little coach with me.
"Just to get back on the grass with a club in my hand was really positive. Plus zero pain."
Then, in August, 'Beef' provided further good news as his desired professional comeback neared.
He posted another video with the caption: "I'm getting there. For a while I felt I was hitting everything at the same speed and felt I wasn't really moving forward.
"It tested my patience but we kept going and now I'm back hitting full shots. Although my speed and distance is a bit down it's again improving all the time."
In Johnston's most recent spell on the DP World Tour between June and September 2024, he posted two top-25s in his final six appearances of the year, with a solo-third finish at the European Masters a reminder of the Englishman's quality.
The former World No.74 has one DP World Tour title to his name which arrived in 2016 at the Open de España. He lost a playoff at the 2018 Indian Open to Matt Wallace and was enjoying a decent year in 2019 courtesy of five top-10s.
Following a week in South Korea for the Genesis Championship, Johnston is due to compete at the Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Open during November and December when the new DP World Tour campaign kicks off.
