This two-time Tour winner almost gave up on golf entirely just four years ago. The mortgage lending office in North Carolina seemed like his permanent future. Dreams of major championships felt foolish when rent needed to be paid. Yet here he sits, fresh off two PGA Tour victories, chatting with legends at Oakmont.

Ben Griffin’s family lost their home during the 2008 recession. Consequently, he developed his skills at public courses instead of country clubs. This hardship shaped his character and work ethic completely. His persistence through financial struggles paid off dramatically this season. His breakthrough came with back-to-back victories in 2025. Griffin captured the Zurich Classic with Andrew Novak in April. Then he claimed his first individual title at the Charles Schwab Challenge. These wins launched him to 15th in the world rankings. With this, he garnered attention, and so did his sunglasses. He even talked about them with Phil Mickelson.

During his post-round press conference on Friday at Oakmont, Griffin revealed a touching encounter on the range chat with Mickelson. “He was wearing a different pair of sunglasses, but was getting ready to put on the same models that I wear,” Griffin explained warmly. Both players favor Uswing Mojing sunglasses, designed specifically for golf. Mickelson adopted them four years ago during a memorable week. “I think his first week might have been when he won the PGA Championship,” Griffin recalled about Mickelson’s 2021 breakthrough. The 54-year-old was warming up in flashy Ray-Bans. However, he switched to his trusted golf-specific eyewear before playing.

“Phil is a great guy, it was good to talk to him,” Griffin concluded. Griffin is just 29 years old. 4 years before he was born, Mickelson turned pro. He grew up watching Lefty, and sought inspiration from him. “Phil is a guy that I definitely watched throughout my junior golf and throughout childhood and was a good guy to kind of follow and be inspired by,” he shared.

This praise carries extra weight given the heartbreaking circumstances. Mickelson shot 74-74 to miss the cut in his probably last US Open by one stroke. Double bogeys on holes 15 and 17 ended his tournament early. The conversation took a poignant turn when discussing Mickelson’s U.S. Open legacy, as had he won, Lefty would have become the seventh Grand Slam winner. Griffin acknowledged the painful reality honestly after witnessing Phil’s missed cut. “Unfortunately, my memories of him are not winning, because I know he needs it for the Grand Slam,” he admitted. It has been a long time since Phil has won.

“Growing up as a kid watching him and Tiger battle it out was really cool,” Griffin reflected enthusiastically. Those epic duels defined an era of unprecedented golf drama. Their rivalry produced compelling statistics throughout their careers. One could not help but admire.

Tiger Woods vs Phil Mickelson: The Numbers Behind Their Legendary Battles

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson faced each other in tournament pairings 38 times. Tiger shot lower scores in 19 rounds compared to Phil’s 15. Four rounds ended in ties between these golf titans. This head-to-head record shows Tiger maintained a competitive edge.

Their contrasting career trajectories made this rivalry one of the most compelling in golf history. Woods joined the Tour in 1996 and won his first major in 1997. Mickelson had been competing since 1992 but didn’t achieve breakthrough success until 2004. Career numbers highlight their respective dominance: Tiger accumulated 82 PGA Tour wins alongside 15 major championships, while Phil collected 45 tour victories with six major titles. However, Mickelson’s six U.S. Open runner-up finishes remain one of golf’s most heartbreaking legacies.

Griffin belongs to the generation that these legends inspired completely. “Tiger kind of stole the show for most of my childhood,” he acknowledged during his press conference. Tiger’s dominance throughout the late 1990s and 2000s coincided with Griffin’s formative years as a young golfer. This influence created today’s deeper talent pool, making sustained dominance increasingly difficult. “You’re not seeing too many dominant players, except for maybe Scottie Scheffler,” Griffin concluded about modern golf’s competitive landscape.

Griffin’s tribute to Mickelson captures this generational respect beautifully. Their conversation about sunglasses symbolizes connections flowing between golf eras. Meanwhile, Mickelson’s U.S. Open chapter likely closes forever. However, his influence alongside Woods continues to inspire future champions like Griffin.