Ben Griffin Used to Work a Desk Job, Now He’s a Rising PGA Tour Rookie

Ben Griffin took an unconventional route to the PGA Tour. His run at the Players Championship could be a sign of things to come.

Ben Griffin has played 36 holes at TPC Sawgrass at 6 under and should be squarely on the leaderboard once the day is done. But two years ago, such a position wouldn’t have crossed his mind. In the spring of 2021, Griffin took a giant step back from his PGA Tour aspirations and started working a desk job.

“Two years ago I was working a desk job almost, so it's just a dream come true to be playing on the PGA Tour,” Griffin said after his first round at TPC Sawgrass. “Very blessed to have the sponsors that I do to have helped me get back to where I am, and yeah, to make a push like this is just awesome.”

With six top-25’s and just two missed cuts so far in his rookie season, Griffin has come a long way from that desk. 

Griffin, who graduated from UNC in 2018, always had his sights set on professional golf, but at a certain point, the financial burden of competing on mini-tours became too overwhelming. Griffin lost his status on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2019, and after failing to get through Q-School before the onset of the pandemic, he wasn’t left with many options besides the Monday qualifying grind. 

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Burnt out and convinced his dreams weren’t meant to be, Griffin studied for accreditation tests and became a loan officer at CIMG Residential Mortgage in Chapel Hill, N.C. 

“I was a loan officer, so I was financing homes, residential mortgages from I guess the end of March, beginning of April until end of July, beginning of August of 2021,” Griffin said. 

In July, a few members at Highland Springs CC—the host of an annual Korn Ferry Tour event in Missouri—offered to pay for Griffin’s expense to fly out to their Monday qualifier. Griffin took the offer, shot 65 and made it into the field. He didn’t make the cut that week but soon after, a friend of Griffin’s trainer stepped up with an offer for a sponsorship. The generous backing gave Griffin another shot at a goal that once seemed out of reach. 

From there, it's all history. Griffin played his way into the Final Stage of Q-School and secured Korn Ferry Tour status. He played consistently all year and earned his PGA Tour card for the 2022-23 season. 

Now, Griffin, coming off a tie for 14th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, is contending in one of the strongest fields on the PGA Tour. 

“Coming off a pretty decent week at Bay Hill, I didn't think I was as close as I was to winning, but I only lost by five. Against a field like that, that was one of the strongest fields I've competed against in professional golf. So to gain confidence from that, finished 14th. I was sneaky in the mix, so coming in here, it's the same field, it's the same players, it's just me versus the golf course. If I play well, I know my name is going to be up there,” Griffin said. 

Griffin knows he’s lucky to be out competing on the PGA Tour, and he’s showing that enthusiasm with some pretty impressive TikTok content. The 26-year-old makes weekly blog-style videos on the social media platform as he soaks in his rookie year on Tour. 

Ben Griffin’s story is cool and all but he’s also an A-1 TikToker.

(Seriously, really into these inside-the-ropes vlogs he’s been doing all season) pic.twitter.com/U9KLIEYPPL

— Gabby Herzig (@GabbyHerzig) March 10, 2023

“I have a nice perspective of having worked a desk job,” Griffin said. “It helps me out there have fun because I know at the end of the day like I'm just blessed to be playing golf.”