Players to watch in 2022: Ben Griffin, No. 9

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- Players to watch in 2022: Ben Griffin, No. 9
  December 23, 2021
  By Nick Parker , PGATOUR.COM Follow @KornFerryTour
- Former loan officer Ben Griffin earned guaranteed Korn Ferry Tour starts in 2022 via Final Stage of Q-School. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Five months ago, Ben Griffin was retired from professional golf, working a desk job in the mortgage industry when he decided he wasn’t done just yet. Now, five months later, he has won a couple of mini-tour events and is headed to the Korn Ferry Tour after advancing through First, Second and Final Stages of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.

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The 25-year-old won immediately out of college at the Mackenzie Tour's 2018 Staal Foundation Open presented by Tbaytel and finished top-10 on the Order of Merit to secure Korn Ferry Tour status in 2019.

He lost status in 2020, though, after making two cuts in eight starts on the Korn Ferry Tour. He played PGA TOUR Latinoamerica and the mini-tours in 2020, struggling amidst a combination of financial stress and burnout. He decided to retire early as a result.

But after nearly half a year at a desk job away from the game, the former All-American at the University of North Carolina has rediscovered not only his love of the game but his confidence. Both showed up at Final Stage. After opening with rounds of 71-74 to drop outside the all-important top-40 and ties number, Griffin rebounded with a sizzling third-round 64 and closed with a 71 to finish T29 and secure guaranteed starts by two shots.