Andrew Johnston credited yoga as a catalyst behind his recent resurgence as he surged into the lead on day two at the Austrian Alpine Open presented by Kitzbühel Tirol.
The English fan favourite, affectionately known as Beef, is making his tenth start on the DP World Tour this season on a medical exemption, after being limited to just 17 appearances across the last three years.
Last year, it was revealed he had a complete ligament tear and a partial tear in two other tendons in his thumb after a series of earlier misdiagnoses.
After months of recovery since undergoing the second of two surgeries in as many years, the 37-year-old made a welcome return to action at last season’s Genesis Championship in South Korea.
This week marks his fifth consecutive start in as many events on the 2026 Race to Dubai, with a second-round 62 – his lowest score since the Scottish Open in 2019 – lifting him to 11 under through the opening two days at Golfclub Kitzbühel-Schwarzsee-Reith.
Since a 73 on the opening day at the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship in Spain, he has now shot under par in his subsequent nine rounds and was keen to pay tribute to feeling good both on and off the course as instrumental.
"With the injury I looked at stuff that I could personally sort of be better at and I started going back into the gym and I felt really compressed," said Johnston, who relocated to Australia in 2024.
"There's a nice little coffee shop in Perth next door and there's a yoga place next door and I was like, 'do you know what? I'm just going to wander in and have a look in, ask a few questions' and I found this yoga teacher and she has been brilliant.
"I just think my body's been a lot more flexible, day-to-day I’m feeling better and when I came back, I hadn't seen Goughy (coach Jamie Gough) for a year.
"He just said ‘you're moving so much better and the club's in such a better position’ and I think it's a big part to do with that."
Johnston made eight birdies - four on each of the nines - mixing accurate approach play with a hot putter to put himself in contention to challenge for his second DP World Tour title, ten years on from his first.
"Just hit a lot of good shots," he said. "The putter got a bit hot, which I've been trying to do now for six months.
"Yeah, you know, [when] putts start dropping, it's a good day."
