SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- As Andrew Johnston stepped to the first tee at Baltusrol on Thursday for the first round of the PGA Championship, he received a cheer that is reserved for crowd favorites.Beef, Beef, Beef, Beef, Beef!Johnston is new to most fans here. Because he has been confined to the European Tour, most have come to know him from his eighth-place finish at Royal Troon earlier this month at The Open. But they already know they love him.That amazing nickname. That beard. That belly. That smile.Every once in a while, the proper golf world witnesses an intruder in the establishment. Twenty five years ago, the world was introduced to John Daly at the PGA Championship at Crooked Stick. Daly still plays the part, as we can always rely on some crazy pants, but he isnt relevant. He hasnt won in more than 12 years. Others have represented the Everyman, including Boo Weekley, who turned 43 this week.Johnstons win at the European Tours Spanish Open in April -- after which he said he would get hammered -- and his finish at The Open have made him top of mind and the 88th-ranked golfer in the world, up from No. 224 in February.That means Johnston -- who is tied for 36th at even par after Round 1 at Baltusrol -- is relevant enough to be the next guy who represents what many of us would be if we had a chance to play golf professionally.Before we go any further, lets start with the story of Beef, a nickname given to him because his hair looked like a piece of beef, according to a childhood friend.In time, the nickname stuck and an affinity for beef itself conveniently developed. Then he made the textbook marketing move of fully embracing it.He had BEEF tattooed on his shoulder and got Titleist to etch names of cuts of beef onto his wedges. BEEF is also embroidered on the back of all his hats.When Arbys saw what a crowd sensation he had turned into at The Open, the fast-food restaurant chain reached out to his manager, Shaun Reddin. The company and Johnston struck a deal -- even though he had never set foot inside an Arbys.We might be a 53-year-old brand, but we act like a startup, said Arbys spokesman Chris Fuller. It was amazing to see the volume of people tweeting at him on Twitter, and that got him on our radar. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the deal included a night at Arbys in New York, where he tried the companys brisket and was asked to make sandwiches. Too scared that hed mess up an order, he took on another job.I was just putting the stuff in a bag and shouting peoples names, Johnston said. That was probably the most fun.Arbys also gets four days of visibility with its logo on his left chest, if he makes the cut this weekend.A long-term deal is being discussed but might not be practical as long as Johnston is on the European Tour. There are no Arbys in his native England.Then theres the look -- a 10-month-old beard that makes him stand out even more on the course. And the gut, a factor that made Daly so endearing to blue-collar America.Finally, theres that smile, which comes from a place of just being happy to be where he is.Johnstons world turned on its end when he was 17. Thats when his father, Noel, died suddenly of brain cancer. The man who put the golf club in his sons hand was gone.Reddin, the senior partner at RedRay, had followed Johnstons career as he ascended the ranks of British junior golf. Reddin believed in him enough to financially back Andrews goal to play professionally and made it his everyday job to manage Johnston.There have been many ups and downs, which included injuries and losing a tour card, but Reddins investment is starting to pay off. Beef is having his prime year -- he has already earned $945,000 on the course in 2016.And the endorsement opportunities seem to be rising. The Arbys logo, as of now, will come off after the PGA Championship, and the logo on the other side of his chest could come off too, if the moneys right. That logo, RedRay, is Reddins company.But talk to Reddin long enough and its clear that striking endorsement deals and making his money back isnt why he did it. Being along for the journey of the golf prodigy, who Reddin saved and helped get to this point, was his motivation.I cried when he won in Spain, Reddin said. The hairs stood up on the back of my neck on Sunday at the 18th on Royal Troon. Stitched Twins Jerseys . 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