Ben Griffin’s dream season just hit another level. The 29-year-old has been handed his first Ryder Cup appearance after U.S. captain Keegan Bradley named him as one of his six captain’s picks for Bethpage Black.
Griffin wasn’t on most shortlists for the American squad, but after a breakout 2025 PGA Tour season, Bradley decided the time was right to bring him into the mix.
His selection finalizes Team USA’s roster, joining stars like Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau as they prepare to face Europe in New York next month. Bradley’s announcement came ahead of European captain Luke Donald, who will reveal his own picks on Monday.
Mickelson Weighs In
Griffin joining Team USA brought immediate praise, including from Phil Mickelson. After Griffin shared an emotional post on X, “Four years ago I wanted to give up the game forever. I have the strongest team around me who brought me back, and now I’m going to give it all to help this team win at Bethpage,” Mickelson responded with clapping emojis and a short but powerful note: “Congratulations. You’re an inspiration.”
It was another public endorsement from Mickelson, who had already voiced his support after Bradley confirmed his captain’s picks. For Griffin, it underscored how far he’s come from the brink of walking away from the game to now being part of golf’s most intense stage.
A Breakout 2025 Season
Bradley’s faith in Griffin didn’t come out of nowhere. The North Carolina native put together his best season yet on the PGA Tour, playing in 28 events, capturing his first two career titles — the Charles Schwab Challenge and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans — and racking up 10 top-10 finishes overall.
He nearly added another trophy at the Memorial Tournament, finishing runner-up to Scheffler at Muirfield Village in June. Griffin stayed steady through the playoffs as well, closing the season with a T9 at the St. Jude Championship, T12 at the BMW, and a T10 at the Tour Championship.
Now Griffin’s steady rise will be tested under the brightest lights in golf. With the home crowd behind them at Bethpage Black, Team USA is counting on fresh energy to help avenge last year’s loss in Rome. For Griffin, who nearly quit the game not long ago, the Ryder Cup debut will be both the biggest stage and the ultimate validation of perseverance.
