Ben Griffin Accomplishes Memorial Feat not Seen in 34 Years
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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The streak of good results appears to be continuing for Ben Griffin, who leads the Memorial Tournament after the first round with a score of 7-under. As often happens in the midst of such streaks, Griffin achieved a milestone not seen in a long time.
According to golf statistician Justin Ray, it has been 34 years since a player led the first round at Muirfield after winning the previous week:
"Ben Griffin leads after round 1 of @MemorialGolf - he won last week at Colonial. Before Griffin, the last player to lead after round 1 of The Memorial the week after winning on the PGA Tour was Corey Pavin in 1991," Ray posted on X.
Ben Griffin leads after round 1 of @MemorialGolf - he won last week at Colonial.
Before Griffin, the last player to lead after round 1 of The Memorial the week after winning on the PGA Tour was Corey Pavin in 1991. — Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) May 29, 2025
Corey Pavin finished third in the 1991 edition of the Memorial Tournament, so Griffin hopes to surpass that result 34 years later.
The 29-year-old arrived at Muirfield Village fresh off a win in the Charles Schwab Challenge. It was his second victory of the season, the first two of his PGA Tour career.
"It was an incredible day," Griffin said after the first round of the Memorial. "Kind of building on what I kind of was doing last week, making a ton of birdies, staying aggressive."
"This is one of the toughest golf courses we play on TOUR and you've got to kind of be on your game to make birdies and give yourself a lot of looks. I felt like I kind of did that."
Ben Griffin of the United States looks on from the fifth tee during the first round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on May 29, 2025 in Dublin,...
Ben Griffin of the United States looks on from the fifth tee during the first round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on May 29, 2025 in Dublin, Ohio. MoreGriffin also revealed part of the secret to his golf resurgence during the current season:
"Just working out every single day," he said.
The player revealed that he has a new trainer, Derek Smith. He initially hired Smith to treat a quad tendonitis in his left knee. However, Smith has also guided him through a process of rediscovering the role the gym can play in professional golf.
"What I came to learn is I was starting to feel better, I was starting to feel stronger, I was starting to gain a little bit of speed, and I was like, man, if I keep this up, like, I can kind of, you know, continue to get higher and higher ball speeds, better prepare me for majors," Griffin said.
The strategy has clearly paid off. According to data reported by PGA Tour's Paul Hodowanic, Griffin increased his swing speed by 4 mph from one season to the next (172 mph in 2024 to 176 mph in 2025). That is substantial.
Griffin carded an eagle, seven birdies, and two bogeys during the first round of the Memorial Tournament. He'll enter Friday with a two-stroke lead over Collin Morikawa.
More Golf: PGA Tour brass defends Rory McIlroy's choice to skip The Memorial
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