Mark Johnson (golfer)
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Mark William "Beer Man" Johnson (born May 22, 1954) is an American
professional golfer A professional golfer is somebody who receives payments or financial rewards in the sport of golf that are directly related to their skill or reputation. A person who earns money by teaching or playing golf is traditionally considered a "golf pr ...
who plays on the
Champions Tour PGA Tour Champions (formerly the Senior PGA Tour and the Champions Tour) is a men's professional senior golf tour, open to golfers age 50 and over, administered as a branch of the PGA Tour. History and format The Senior PGA Championship, f ...
. Johnson was born in
Barstow, California Barstow is a city in San Bernardino County, California, in the Mojave Desert of Southern California. Located in the Inland Empire region of California, the population was 25,415 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Barstow is an impor ...
. He decided to forgo college and turned pro directly out of high school in 1972; he played on mini-tours around
Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
for two years, a decision which he regrets. Unable to support himself financially, Johnson regained his amateur status and for the next 18 years earned a living driving a
Budweiser Budweiser () is an American-style pale lager, a brand of Belgian company AB InBev. Introduced in 1876 by Carl Conrad & Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, Budweiser has become a large selling beer company in the United States. Budweiser is a filte ...
truck while continuing to hone his skills in amateur tournaments. In 1998, at the age of 45, Johnson parked his beer truck and regained his professional status. With the sponsorship of his long-time employer, H Olson Distributing of Barstow, and a handful of local businessmen, Johnson played five years on the
Canadian Tour PGA Tour Canada, commonly referred to as the Canadian Tour, was a men's professional golf tour headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. The United States–based PGA Tour took over operation of the tour on November 1, 2012, at which time it was renamed ...
and a year on the
Nationwide Tour The Korn Ferry Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either not yet reached the PGA Tour, or who have done so but then failed to win enough FedEx Cup points to stay at that level. ...
to prepare for the
Champions Tour PGA Tour Champions (formerly the Senior PGA Tour and the Champions Tour) is a men's professional senior golf tour, open to golfers age 50 and over, administered as a branch of the PGA Tour. History and format The Senior PGA Championship, f ...
, which he joined after reaching the age of 50 in May 2004. Johnson won his first Champions Tour event at the 2005 Toshiba Senior Classic in his 14th start. He won in spectacular fashion holing out an 89-yard wedge shot for an eagle at the 510 yard par-5 18th hole. Johnson's status as a former beer truck driver has earned him somewhat of a cult following from Champions Tour galleries. It is not uncommon to hear someone shout, "Way to Go Beer Man" during rounds. Johnson embraces the Beer Man persona, and has even named his personal website ''beermangolf.com''. He lives in
Helendale, California Helendale or Silver Lakes is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located in the Victor Valley of the Mojave Desert, within San Bernardino County, California. It is on historic Route 66, west of the Mojave Freeway (I-15) ...
.


Amateur wins (9)

*1972 (1) CIF Championship (individual event) *1989 (1) SCGA Mid-Amateur *1990 (1) SCGA Tournament of Club Champions *1993 (1) SCGA Mid-Amateur *1994 (2) SCGA Mid-Amateur,
Pacific Coast Amateur The Pacific Coast Amateur is an annual amateur golf tournament. It has been played since 1967 and is organized by the Pacific Coast Golf Association. It is held in various locations in the United States and Canada. In December 2021, the Pacific Coa ...
*1996 (2)
California State Amateur The California Amateur Championship or California Amateur is a golf championship held in California for the state's top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the California Golf Association. The first event was held in 1912 at the Del Monte Gol ...
, SCGA Tournament of Club Champions *1997 (1) SCGA Tournament of Club Champions


Professional wins (1)


Champions Tour wins (1)


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Mark American male golfers PGA Tour golfers PGA Tour Champions golfers Golfers from California People from Barstow, California Sportspeople from San Bernardino County, California 1954 births Living people 20th-century American sportsmen