Meet Beef Johnston, the UK's best hope at The Open?

With the two lowest rounds Friday morning at the 145th Open Championship, Henrik Stenson and Charl Schwartzel carved out position on a leaderboard populated predominantly by U.S.-born contenders.

Some of those Americans, including likely 36-hole leader Phil Mickelson, possess the endearing traits and talents that mobilize and incite patrons game enough to withstand the unrelenting weather conditions. Yet, invariably, the locals - and tournament officials - crave a contender from the United Kingdom.

Normally, the player they bank on is North Ireland's Rory McIlroy; and let's be honest, it still is. But there's another, equally unmistakable participant making noise at Royal Troon.

He goes by Beef.

Andrew "Beef" Johnston is the larger-than-life recent first-time European Tour winner in contention at the Open Championship.

"I'm a normal bloke who enjoys a beer"

The big-bearded, big-bellied Johnston, who finds little more entertaining than blasting a hamburger off a tee, vowed to get "hammered" after winning for the first time on a major tour this past April when he captured the Spanish Open title. And did he ever - there was a pinata, and Johnston in a parrot costume.

Though unconventional, unsustainable, and at the same time quite charming, the party was absolutely just; Johnston traveled a long, challenging road to finally arrive.

By his mid-teens, Johnston was an up-and-coming prospect representing his native England in national-level competition. His upward trajectory, however, was re-routed at 17 when his father, the man who introduced him to golf, died of brain cancer.

At a cross roads in his life, Johnston made the decision to turn professional earlier than he should have. And for the better part of the next decade, he found himself struggling to make ends meet, battling injuries, and failing to earn enough on the tour circuit to live a comfortable life.

In the last few seasons, though, it clicked for Beef Johnston.

He's raked in more than £1 million over the last two seasons, and for his win in Spain, playing, and contending, in his second straight major championship start on the PGA Tour.

Johnston posted a second straight round of 69 on Friday at Royal Troon, and sits well above the cut line at The Open, ensuring a share of the £6.5-million purse.

Though for Beef, bringing the Claret Jug to the next themed party would have to be considered priceless.