PGA Tour winner Ryan Gerard may have fellow golfer Ben Griffin to thank for his Barracuda Championship victory, which led the latter to cheekily request a gift for his help
Ben Griffin urged Ryan Gerard to play at the Barracuda Championship, which he ended up winning(Image: Getty Images)
PGA Tour star Ben Griffin jokingly requested a hefty chunk of Ryan Gerard’s $720,000 winnings after revealing he played a vital part in his historic victory.
The 25-year-old captured his maiden PGA Tour victory 10 days ago at the Barracuda Championship, beating former winner Erik van Rooyen by three points. With the trophy came the sizeable prize money that ranks as the biggest payday of his career.
However, there was a reality where Gerard didn’t even compete in the tournament as he was set to travel to Northern Ireland for The Open Championship, where he was a second alternate. The news comes after we revealed Tiger Woods’ brutal 3-word statement to a security guard after he was denied entry to The Open.
Gerard’s last-minute trip to Portrush didn’t come to fruition as a text from Griffin, 29, urged him to remain in the United States and focus on the event hosted at the Tahoe Mountain Club, which is advice that has since changed his life.
Griffin – who won the Charles Schwab Challenge in May – revealed the details of the story ahead of the Wyndham Championship that begins on Thursday, where he’ll compete against Gerard. “I think anyone would have responded kind of the same way I did to Ryan (Gerard),” Griffin said.
“Because he sent the text to both me and my caddie, like ‘Hey, I’m second alternate, should I come over there?’ I mean, it was Tuesday, the answer’s no. Go focus on trying to win that (the Barracuda Championship), don’t even, like, look at the leaderboard, don’t pay attention to anything, just focus on your tournament and what you’re trying to accomplish.
Ryan Gerard banked $720,000 for winning the Barracuda Championship – his first PGA Tour win(Image: ISI Photos via Getty Images)
“I think any other golfer would have said that, it just so happens that me and Ryan are close and so he texts me.” While Griffin himself is enjoying a career-best year where he’s banked over $8 million in earnings this year, it didn’t stop him from playfully requesting a slice of Gerard’s winnings.
“Just 50% of his earnings, is all,” Griffin joked. “I still haven’t received anything. I’ve been looking on Zelle and Wells Fargo and Merrill accounts, nothing’s hit yet … I’ll take the credit I guess.”
Griffin last month found himself embroiled in a controversy involving golf icon Jack Nicklaus, but the Chapel Hill-𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 golfer was subject to empathy by the 85-year-old, who sounded off on the existence of TV interviews on the course.
The 29-year-old was competing in the Memorial Tournament last month, the event that is hosted by the 18-time major champion. After walking towards his ball in the second round, Griffin was approached by Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard who conducted a walk-an-talk interview.
Ben Griffin has earned over $8 million in prize money this year (Image: George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The reporter said: “Joked yesterday, I asked you what your energy levels are like, and your wife had one answer. She said she was exhausted, you said you were fine. How are you?” Griffin responded before coverage returned to the booth where Nicklaus was seated as a guest and it wasn’t long before he admitted his disdain.
“I can’t stand that,” Nicklaus said. “The interview on the golf course. Let me tell you how I think, how I feel. I mean, seriously, here’s a guy who’s leading the golf tournament, he’s just hit the edge of the rough, he’s got a very difficult shot on a very difficult hole, and you’re talking to him about stuff that totally takes his mind off of what he was doing.
“How would you think [Ben] Hogan would respond to that question?” When TV host Terry Gannon stepped in by saying, “Times have changed”, Nicklaus replied, “You would not have any teeth left if you did. He’d [Hogan] hit you right in the face with it.”