Andrew Johnston’s Open Championship may not have finished quite as well as the Barnet golfer may have hoped at the start of today’s final round, but ‘Beef’ should feel justifiably proud after finishing in eighth place at Royal Troon.

The North Middlesex Golf Club member proved to be one of the most popular figures on the South Ayrshire links this week after scores of 69, 69 and 70 had left him in fourth place going into today’s final round of the 145th edition of the major championship.

And despite a bogey at the second, the 27-year-old has started superbly with a birdie on the first and two more on holes three and four to move into third place for a spell on seven-under-par behind leaders Phil Mickelson and the tournament’s record-breaking champion Henrik Stenson.

But a dropped shot at the eighth – the famous Postage Stamp hole – was to mark the beginning of a downturn for ‘Beef’ as he also bogeyed 10, 12 and 15 to finish his final round on a two-over-par score of 73.

Johnston’s top-ten finish though, means he has qualified for next year’s championship at Royal Birkdale and his €197,320 prize takes this year’s Open de Espana champion’s earnings for 2016 past €850,000 and moves him up to 18th in the Race to Dubai standings.