Ben Griffin is no longer just a promising name on the PGA Tour—he’s now a winner. The 29-year-old earned his first individual PGA Tour victory at the Charles Schwab Challenge, surviving windy conditions, a relentless Matti Schmid, and late-round nerves to finish at 12-under 268.
Griffin’s 1-over 71 in the final round wasn’t pretty, but it was gritty—and just good enough to beat Schmid by a single shot and claim the $1.71 million winner’s share from the $9.5 million purse.
A Battle of First-Timers
Griffin and Schmid, both seeking their first solo PGA Tour title, matched scores for three straight days. That was before Griffin surged on Sunday with an eagle-birdie start and a five-shot lead through five holes. But as the wind picked up, so did the pressure. Schmid clawed his way back, and Griffin’s lead shrank, especially after a two-shot swing at 16 brought the margin to one.
Schmid nearly forced a playoff, holing out a birdie from behind the 18th green. But Griffin, faced with a tight par save—ball well above his feet, standing in a bunker, needing to choke down on the club—knocked it stiff and drained the 4-footer to close it out.
“It was like whack-a-mole hitting that third shot,” Griffin said. “I was thinking Matti might make that. Fortunately, I had that 4-footer. I felt pretty good over it. Just left edge and trust it.”
Griffin became the latest breakout winner on the PGA Tour just weeks after his team victory at the Zurich Classic with Andrew Novak. But this win was different. This one was his alone.
Schmid Makes Him Earn It
Matti Schmid, the 27-year-old German, was chasing his first victory in his 79th start. And he gave Griffin every reason to sweat. Schmid’s rollercoaster final-round 72 included six birdies, six bogeys, and a double, but his birdie at 18 from the rough nearly stole the show.
He played aggressively and kept his foot on the gas—even if one strategic misfire at 17, where he aimed away from the flag from a plugged lie in the bunker, ultimately cost him.
“At that point, I just tried to make a five,” Schmid said. “And thankfully, I did it.”
It wasn’t enough, but it was close—and Schmid looks like a player whose time is coming soon.
Scheffler’s Run Ends, Fleetwood’s Drought Continues
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler couldn’t summon another Saturday surge. His final-round 69 was solid but not spectacular. A missed opportunity on Friday loomed large, and his run at three consecutive wins ended quietly in a tie for fourth at 8 under, one back of Bud Cauley, who shot a clean 67.
“Friday probably hurt me,” Scheffler admitted. “But overall, three of the four days I played what I felt was pretty solid.”
Meanwhile, Tommy Fleetwood, forever the bridesmaid, turned in another top-10 performance—his 41st without a win, the longest such stretch since 1983. His birdie putt on 18 stopped on the lip for what felt like an eternity—gusting wind finally pushed it in for a memorable finish, but not the one he needed.
The Griffin Era Begins?
Griffin’s breakthrough marks a milestone in a steady, grinding climb. He’s now a Tour winner, a top-tier earner, and possibly a name to watch for bigger things—especially with confidence peaking and summer golf heating up.
“No lead is ever safe on the PGA Tour,” Griffin said. “I was trying to keep the pedal down… I just didn’t give myself a lot of birdie putts.”
He didn’t need many. He made the ones that mattered. Now, Ben Griffin joins the PGA Tour champions club.
