DUBLIN, Ohio – Ben Griffin (1st place at -7) earned his first career 18-hole lead/co-lead on TOUR. His previous best 18-hole position: 2nd/2022 RSM Classic/finished T29). Griffin’s 7-under (65) marked his best score in five career rounds in the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (previous best: 72/R1/2023).
Griffin carded the lowest first-round score in the Memorial Tournament since 2019 (Ryan Moore/65/finished T33) and was the only player in the field to birdie each of the last three holes in round one (Nos. 16-18).
Griffin led the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green (2.560) and Strokes Gained: Putting (3.843).
Griffin is staying “Hot,” as he entered the week coming off his first individual PGA TOUR victory at last week’s Charles Schwab Challenge and five weeks ago, won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (with teammate Andrew Novak) for his first career win on TOUR.
Griffin is one of four players with multiple wins on TOUR this year: (Rory McIlroy/3, Sepp Straka/2, Scottie Scheffler/2).
The Memorial Leaderboard | After 18 Holes
1 Ben Griffin 65 (-7)
2 Collin Morikawa 67 (-5)
3 Max Homa 68 (-4)
T4 Shane Lowry 69 (-3)
T4 Keegan Bradley 69 (-3)
T4 Nick Taylor 69 (-3)
Full Leaderboard: (PGATourCom)
The Memorial | Tournament Facts
COURSE: Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio
YARDS/PAR: 7,569 yards/Par 72
ARCHITECT(S): Jack Nicklaus and Desmond Muirhead
OVERVIEW: (PGATourCom)
PRIZE Money – Purse/Winner’s Share: $20,000,000/$4,000,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Scottie Scheffler
PAST RESULTS: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 700