Ben Griffin put the Maxfli ball in play in Houston final March, months earlier than formally signing with the corporate.
He’s since turned his season round.
Griffin will tee it up on this week’s Open Championship at Royal Troon on the cusp of cracking the highest 50 in FedExCup factors. With simply three weeks remaining earlier than the playoffs, Griffin finds himself No. 57 in factors, lower than 89 factors behind present final man into subsequent 12 months’s signature occasions, Aaron Rai, and in an identical chasing place as notable Open opponents akin to Viktor Hovland (51), Min Woo Lee (58) and Jordan Spieth (60).
“We definitely noticed this season how helpful these signature occasions are when it comes to the purpose variance between the highest 40, 50 guys and possibly who’s 80 proper now; there’s a humongous hole (No. 70 Lee Hodges is nearer to No. 125 – 383 factors – than No. 42),” Griffin mentioned. “I don’t know if it’s skewed slightly an excessive amount of towards the highest, however it’s what it’s and that’s the system. For me, I completed final 12 months about the identical as the place I’m at present proper now, and I used to be nonetheless in a position to play solidly this season. I’m not as excessive as I used to be eager for, however I’m nonetheless pleased with how I’ve carried out to date this 12 months.”
Griffin earned his means into the primary two full signature occasions of the 12 months, the AT&T Pebble Seashore Professional-Am and Genesis Invitational, due to being among the many Subsequent 10, or Nos. 51-60 in final season’s FedExCup standings following the autumn collection. He made the lower in each, although with simply two top-20 finishes in his first 10 begins of the season, Griffin didn’t qualify for one more signature occasion till the Memorial Event.
He performed himself again into the signatures – and the top-50 race for subsequent 12 months – with a robust summer season that has included a runner-up on the RBC Canadian Open, T-5 on the John Deere Basic and three different top-16 finishes, all of which got here after he put the Maxfli ball in play on the Texas Youngsters’s Houston Open. (Griffin didn’t formally signal with Maxfli till just a few weeks later, after the Zurich Basic.)
Griffin, a free agent to begin the 12 months, didn’t plan on making any modifications this season along with his gear, not to mention his golf ball. However when he heard about Lexi Thompson, who’s pals with Griffin’s caddie, signing with Maxfli, he figured he’d attempt it out.
“At first, I had slightly little bit of doubt,” Griffin admitted. “However instantly after I began the testing, I couldn’t have been extra stunned. … After doing the testing and seeing the outcomes, I might go house throughout off weeks, and I used to be so excited concerning the golf ball and what I assumed it could do to assist my golf recreation.”
Griffin mentioned he noticed will increase in ball pace (about 2 mph) and distance (about 8 yards). It additionally carried out properly within the wind within the Dominican Republic, the place Griffin tied for 14th.
“Now I’ve tons of rounds in, I do know precisely the way it performs,” Griffin added. “I’ve a ton of belief on this ball.”
Since making the official swap, Griffin, the one Tour professional who performs Maxfli, has gained strokes off the tee in six of 9 begins, a marked enchancment for a participant ranked No. 120 in strokes gained off the tee this season. He is also having fun with a run of six optimistic weeks along with his method play. With extra management over his ball-striking and elite lag placing (Griffin is likely one of the finest on Tour in method putt efficiency), Griffin is happy to essentially check his recreation in windy circumstances at Royal Troon, which is anticipated to see 30-35 mph gusts over no less than the primary day of The Open.
Final 12 months, he missed the lower in his Open debut at Royal Liverpool, although Griffin discovered himself on the more serious finish of the draw and nonetheless solely lacking by a shot. He additionally tied for thirty ninth final week on the Genesis Scottish Open, recording his finest ball-striking week since Canada and solely fighting the flatstick.
As Griffin says, he’s trending – and simply in time.
The Open subject options all however 4 gamers at present ranked within the prime 50 of the FedExCup standings – No. 28 Thomas Detry, No. 36 Taylor Pendrith, No. 42 Cam Davis and No. 46 Jake Knapp. Griffin is one in every of a dozen gamers ranked Nos. 51-70 taking part in at Royal Troon.
Whereas the 17 top-50 gamers from final 12 months who proper now discover themselves exterior of that coveted cutoff are certainly urgent – and possibly even planning to play every of the following two weeks as properly – Griffin says he’s not stressing, even when the 750 factors up for grabs to the winner this week would rocket him up the purpose standings.
“Rather a lot can change fast – entering into rivalry, successful, ending second, third or fourth; the factors are so closely distributed towards the highest, these prime finishes are essential and you’ll transfer up very quick,” Griffin mentioned. “However I don’t really feel any stress. I’ve already locked up my spot, roughly, into the playoffs, so I’ve job safety for subsequent 12 months.
“I’m simply attempting to win, and if I do this, that may handle the highest 50.”
