'Beef' Johnson earns PGA Tour card

( Reuters) - Fan favorite Andrew 'Beef' Johnston will gain more welcome exposure to American galleries next season after he earned his PGA Tour card on Sunday. Johnston shot a final-round three-under-par 68 at the Web.com Tour Boise Open to finish in fourth place and earn his card for the tour.

"Very happy to come over and get what I was trying to do," said Johnston. "It's big. I tried my best and that's what I did." The 27-year-old Johnston won his first European Tour event at the Spanish Open in April and has rocketed from 220th in the world rankings at the end of last year to 80th prior to this week. Johnston, with his bushy beard and ever present smile, won admirers around the world for the way he gleefully interacted with the galleries while finishing eighth in the British Open at Royal Troon in July.

(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)