Ben Griffin, once a loan officer, earned his second PGA Tour win of the year at the 2025 Charles Schwab Challenge. The 29-year-old stepped away from golf for a short time during the COVID-19 pandemic before making his return. For Griffin, the victory at the 2025 Charles Schwab Challenge was more than just a golf tournament win. It was the result of a journey marked by family sacrifice, hardship, and an unshakable belief in his dreams.
Keep Reading: How Stepping Away Saved Ben Griffin’s Golf Career
How Griffin Saw off Schmid To Win Charles Schwab Challenge
Ben Griffin claimed his first individual PGA Tour win at the Charles Schwab Challenge, edging out Matti Schmid by one shot at Colonial. The American had previously won the Zurich Classic with Andrew Novak last month. Schmid made things dramatic by sinking a birdie chip from the rough on the final hole, forcing Griffin to make a four-foot par putt to win. Griffin held his nerve, saving par from the rough for a final-round 71 and finishing at 12 under. Schmid shot a 72 and ended one shot back at 11 under.
He had taken a three-shot lead early in the third round, but Griffin came out strong in the final round, leading by five after just five holes. Schmid pulled within one after a two-shot swing on the 16th hole, but Griffin regained control and stayed ahead with one hole left, despite Schmid recording six bogeys and a double-bogey to go with six birdies.
Griffin Revels in Emotional Moment
When Ben Griffin sat down for his winner’s press conference at Colonial Country Club, no one expected the flood of emotions that would follow a seemingly simple question about how he maintained composure during the challenging final stretch. As he began discussing his short game prowess, his voice cracked, and tears welled in his eyes.
The trigger came when he reflected on how the 2008 recession hit his parents, who worked in real estate, especially hard. Although they lost their home and had to downsize, they made sure their son could continue pursuing his golf dreams.
“My parents did so much for me growing up. They got hit hard by the 2008 recession. They invested a lot in being able to practice and compete. I didn’t spend much money on range balls, I was using a public golf course…My parents always considered themselves middle to upper class, I knew they were for a little bit when we lost our house, when we lost everything. I know they sacrificed a lot for me.”
Griffin also revealed that he received some distasteful comments which he used as motivation for the victory. “I don’t want to silence the haters, but there’s definitely some hate comments I got last night, and I used that as fuel today to get an individual win.”
Yet amidst these hardships, Griffin’s parents made a big decision: they would ensure their son could continue playing golf, even if it meant tremendous personal sacrifice. The family had to make painful adjustments — moving to a smaller home, giving up their country club membership, and tightening their belts in every possible way.
Main Photo Credit: © Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
