Sport is often so much more than just about the result, and for Ryggs Johnston this week at the Open Championship will forever be a memory both he and his family cherish.
One of 37 debutants in the field, the 25-year-old played his way into his first Major Championship in his rookie year as a professional with victory at the ISPA HANDA Australian Open last November.
In just his second start on the DP World Tour after coming through all three legs of Qualifying School, Johnston caused a huge surprise with an impressive victory in Melbourne without even having a practice round prior to the four days which changed his life.
But unlike for that triumph, this time at Royal Portrush sees him play in front of his 84-year-old grandmother Vicki Ostrem – his longtime biggest supporter in his golf career.
Having walked pretty much every round of Ryggs’ amateur college career, she has made her first trip overseas to be here because of their shared dream to see him play at The Open.
“She was happy for me that I got my card over on the DP World Tour, but she was also a little disappointed because she knew she wasn’t going to see a lot of tournaments, so she was so excited to come to this one,” he said.
“She is prouder of me than me of my own achievements most of the time.
“It means a lot for her to be able to see this.”
From the time that I was eight years old through to pretty much when I graduated from college, my grandmother walked pretty much every round, saw every shot
Hailing from Libby, a town with a population of under 3,000 in mountainous Montana, Johnston also has his mother and aunt and uncle among his contingent of family members in Northern Ireland alongside his girlfriend and her sister and their parents. His father was unable to travel due to visa issues.
Johnston, who is named after the Mel Gibson character from the Lethal Weapon movies, came through the ranks of Arizona State University, before playing on the PGA TOUR Americas upon joining the paid ranks in June 2024.
“From the time that I was eight years old through to pretty much when I graduated from college, my grandmother walked pretty much every round, saw every shot,” added the American, who was speaking to the DP World Tour at Portrush.
“There were a few tournaments that she could not go to during Covid, just because they could not allow spectators, and she was not happy with that!
“She walked a lot of 36-holes in hot weather. She’s a trooper, pretty much a legend out there on the college circuit.”
Since earning his DP World Tour card last November, Johnston has risen from just inside the top 1,000 in the world to inside the top 350 and was 40th in the Race to Dubai Rankings at the start of the week.
As one of the first players to guarantee their place in Northern Ireland, anticipation for this career milestone has slowly built over a number of months.
Expectations have been more than met.
“It’s been amazing,” said Johnston, who opened with a three-over-par 74 in Thursday’s first round to leave him in a tie for 96th, with the top 70 and ties making it through to the weekend.
“It’s my first major so it’s my first experience of something this big.
“Even on Monday, I was blown away by just how many people were out here. You can just tell that this tournament Is different than any other. So, it’s pretty cool.
“Knowing that I have been in the field since late November, means it has been a lot of waiting and build-up, so it is nice to finally be here and get to experience it.”
Not only is this rarified air for Johnston, but links golf is also new territory. Despite all that, he is feeling as comfortable as you could expect of a player with limited experience on the surface.
“The course is amazing,” said Johnston, who played practice rounds with first round co-leader Matt Fitzpatrick, US Open winner JJ Spaun and Ludvig Åberg among others.
“It has been cool getting all the perspectives of others on the course because they have played in majors. Seeing what their thoughts are and how they approach it has been a great experience.
“I don’t have anything else to base it off, but it sounds like this is one of the players’ favourites venues because it is a tough test, but it is also very fair too.
“It seems like I am getting the best part of the deal, right?
However Friday’s second round pans out, with making the cut a realistic objective if he can perform near his best, Johnston knows being in these surroundings will only benefit his progression after a promising start to his career as a professional.
“Regardless of the result, I am learning a lot, both about myself and how other top players play,” he said.
“Hopefully I can use a lot of what happens here to give myself confidence for the rest of the season to help me play better.”
