HOUSTON — Nobody has made extra begins on the PGA Tour in 2025 than Ben Griffin. He is including one other tally to his resume this week.
When the 28-year-old tees off Thursday morning on the 2025 Texas Kids’s Houston Open, he’ll make his twelfth consecutive begin. Griffin did not play within the season-opening The Sentry, however beginning on the Sony Open in Hawaii, he has performed each single week, and the reason being easy: he desires to get into the Masters.
After the Houston Open, each participant within the high 50 will earn an invite to Augusta Nationwide. Griffin is 53rd within the Official World Golf Rating heading into the primary of two occasions in Texas. One other participant, Michael Kim, is 52nd in OWGR, and he’s making his eleventh begin in 12 weeks attempting to perform the identical purpose.
“It is all the time been a childhood dream to play within the Masters,” Griffin mentioned. “And it will be actually cool to, you already know, cap off a superb begin to the season this week with moving into Augusta, as properly. That will let me take off subsequent week, prepare for Augusta, play there after which see the place the remainder of season takes me.”
For Griffin, he’ll want a Twenty eighth or higher on the Houston Open to earn his first Masters begin, per OWGR aficionado Nosferatu on social media. Kim will want fiftieth or higher.
Being on the street is nothing new to PGA Tour professionals, even when this stretch is somewhat longer than regular. However with the competitiveness on the PGA Tour, mixed with solely the highest 100 gamers holding their playing cards on the finish of the 12 months, it makes it simpler to play extra weeks to attempt to accumulate extra FedEx Cup factors.
Griffin remembers in 2023 when the playoffs shrunk from the highest 125 moving into the FedEx St. Jude Championship to the highest 70. He obtained the ultimate spot by a minuscule quantity over Justin Thomas. That season, Griffin performed in 30 occasions earlier than the playoffs. Thomas performed in solely 19.
‘It is a race’ to maintain a job on the PGA Tour
“Guys try more durable than ever to maintain their job, preserve their standing, and it is a race,” Griffin mentioned. And the way in which the FedEx obtained structured, the extra occasions you play, the extra alternatives you are gonna need to, you already know, make extra factors, and might in the end get you into playoffs, or each little level issues.
“So for me, I plan my schedule to play loads. Now, was I planning on enjoying 12 in a row? No. Usually, I love to do six, seven or eight in a row. That is completely positive for me. Twelves greater than I sometimes would, however I nonetheless really feel positive.”
Griffin admitted he has bounced round from resort room to resort room. He and his fiancee just lately purchased a home in Jupiter, Florida, so whereas they obtained to go house through the Cognizant Traditional, the home is present process renovations so that they have been with out some necessities, like a kitchen.
After enjoying six straight occasions out west, Griffin was going to take off the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld however determined to play to proceed his momentum. It was a course that suited his sport and he tied for fourth south of the border and did the identical the subsequent week on the Cognizant.
How has Griffin fared over this three-month stretch?
Griffin has three top-10 finishes this season and has made eight cuts in his 11 begins, although he missed the weekend on the Gamers and Valspar earlier than coming to the Houston Open.
He mentioned he has gotten so used to touring he nearly enjoys the living-on-the-road life-style. When he’s house he feels extra busy than when he’s on the street. He acknowledges he might spend time coaching or practising on a particular space of his sport, however the grind is one thing he chased after his whole life.
“I dreamed of enjoying on the PGA Tour since I used to be somewhat child,” Griffin mentioned, “and I attempt to play in as many tournaments as doable. But when I requested my 16-year-old self proper now, if I had a spot within the Houston Open, would I play, I might say ‘completely,’ no matter 12 in a row or not. So I attempt to keep true to my roots. Clearly, issues change while you grow old, your physique, you bought to maintain every thing, and finally, household.
“It is enjoyable. I do not thoughts it. I am nonetheless feeling recent, regardless that it is week 12. I will preserve going so long as I have to. I really like that.”
