Beef stands by going ‘off on one’ after personal abuse

Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston is happy he stood up for himself on Twitter after receiving personal abuse from TalkSPORT radio show host Mike Parry.

The Englishman admitted he ‘went off on one’ after being ‘annoyed’ by a Twitter poll from Parry’s radio show account, @TheTwoMikes, which asked if he was a ‘clown’ or an ‘inspiration’.

It is understood that while on air, Parry called Beef a ‘grinning jabberknacker’ and questioned his place in golf, adding: “He forms himself like a clown, stays as a clown, looks like a clown, performs like a clown and is referred to as a clown.”

Beef hit back in a series of tweets, calling Parry a d******* and demanding he resign and, speaking after his final round at the Open, he fully stood by his remarks and denied that he’d overreacted, as Parry suggested.

“You’ve got to stand up [for yourself],” said Beef. “Would you take it if someone said your beard looks s*it and you’ve got f***ed up teeth? Would you take that?

“It annoyed me. I had a few people message me saying maybe you should listen to the show so I did and it was actually worse listening to it. I don’t mind being criticised and I think it’s good take on people’s opinions to see what I can do better.

“If they had a poll out saying maybe I spend too much time with the fans and if it was affecting my chances of playing better, I’d understand that. But when he’s taking the p*ss out of my face, my teeth and stuff like that, I think it’s bang out of order.”

Following the verbal altercation, Beef received tremendous support from the likes of Sir Nick Faldo, Thomas Bjorn, cricketer Shane Warne and footballer Joey Barton, adding that he was very appreciative of all those who got in touch.

“Faldo’s was a lovely comment, Thomas Bjorn made one too. There were loads of people and I can’t thank them enough.

“The fans are brilliant everywhere I go and I absolutely love it. I never dreamt I’d be able to walk down the 18th on Sunday at an Open – it’s the best thing to me.”

The radio show were doing a phone-in this afternoon asking if they felt Beef had overreacted and, when asked what he felt about them doing this, he responded: “They can capitalise on it but I’ll still stand up for myself. It’s done now. You won’t hear another word out of me on it.”