In what has been a banner season in his young career, Ben Griffin has already hoisted his first PGA Tour trophy. But he didn’t do that lifting by himself.
Griffin’s breakthrough victory came late last month at the team-format Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he and his partner, Andrew Novak, edged brothers Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard by a stroke.
Now, Griffin has a chance at another title. This time, though, he’s on his own.
After a 2-under 68 in breezy conditions on Saturday at Colonial Country Club, the 29-year-old sits in a tie for first at 13-under par at the Charles Schwab Challenge. It’s the third time this year that Griffin has held the 54-hole lead in an individual stroke-play event. On the two prior occasions, he failed to cash in. But he’ll enter Sunday’s final round in Fort Worth with a different mindset.
“I’m a PGA Tour winner now, so that helps,” Griffin said. “I’m going into tomorrow very confident.”
And in familiar company.
Griffin will be paired again with his third-round playing partner, Matti Schmid, who also fired a Saturday 68 to maintain his share of the lead.
Like Griffin, the German-born Schmid has yet to win an individual event on the PGA Tour. But he has seen success on other circuits. A former standout at the University of Louisville, Schmid won back-to-back European Amateur titles and was low amateur at the 2021 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s. In 14 starts this season, he has notched three top-10 finishes, experience he hopes to draw upon on Sunday.
“I had a few close calls on the European Tour, I would say. And I also placed some nice final rounds this year, too,” Schmid said. “So hopefully I can just put one more up there tomorrow, and hopefully that’s enough.”
Griffin and Schmid will start the day four shots clear of Rickie Fowler, followed by a cluster of pursuers that includes a seasoned winner in the form of Scottie Scheffler, who sits at 7-under, six shots back.
Given the gap that he and his co-leader have opened, Griffin said that Sunday is setting up almost like match-play.
“It seems like me and Matti are going to duel it out tomorrow based on the way the leaderboard is,” Griffin said. “So, yeah, the pedal is going to be down.”
