After two straight missed cuts and then over T40 finishes at the first two FedExCup playoff events, Ben Griffin made an impressive return to competitive golf at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open. But his opening-round score was not the only reason Thursday marked an important milestone. After spending nearly two months away from competition and undergoing treatment for a persistent left-knee problem, the three-time PGA Tour winner finally completed 18 holes on foot for the first time since August.

Speaking to reporters after the first round, the American professional said he had battled tendinitis in his left knee for about two years.

“I got knee injections in my left knee, I got PRP and hyaluronic acid put in my left knee. I battled tendonitis in my left knee for two years and I got an MRI kind of end of the season, noticed there was a fissure in the cartilage kind of in the middle. So got a couple injections just to help with that,” Ben Griffin revealed.

“So I was kind of not playing golf for about a month, was just relaxing and slowly kind of eased my way back in. This is like week seven since and they say it’s supposed to kick in between six and eight weeks, so even here was pushing it a little bit, but I felt good.”

PRP, or platelet-rich plasma, involves drawing a patient’s blood, processing it to concentrate platelets, and injecting the resulting preparation into the affected area. Platelets contain growth factors that may support the body’s healing processes.

Hyaluronic acid injections, meanwhile, introduce a gel-like substance into the knee joint. The substance naturally occurs in joint fluid and helps with lubrication and shock absorption.

Ben Griffin did not disclose the exact location or severity of the cartilage fissure, nor did he announce whether he would require further treatment.

Interestingly, Griffin clarified that the knee problem had not affected his golf as much as it had affected certain everyday movements.

“I’m not too worried about it really. I don’t think about it on the golf course, it’s really — it was bothering me more for walking upstairs and putting a lot of pressure on it if I ever got in an awkward lie. So it really wasn’t affecting me; the knee was never affecting me that much with golf. It was more outside of golf,” Griffin explained.

Vidanta Vallarta’s relatively flat layout also provided a favorable setting for his return. After completing all 18 holes without significant discomfort, he was pleased with how his knee responded.

But the knee disclosure was not the first time Griffin had discussed an underlying medical problem while contending in a tournament. During the 2024 RBC Canadian Open, Griffin revealed retinal holes and discussed planned laser treatment. He also faced a creatine-related scare at the 2025 BMW Championship. The PGA Tour pro said he felt shaky and experienced what felt like tremors after swallowing a clump of creatine during the final round.

While injury is not new for the American golfer, he is more confident in his comeback this time.

Ben Griffin returns with a 7-under 64 at VidantaWorld Mexico Open

Griffin’s first competitive appearance since August produced an encouraging result.

He carded a 7-under 64, recording seven birdies, an eagle, and two bogeys. His performance tied him for third after the opening round, two shots behind Karl Vilips, who led the field with a 62. Kensei Hirata finished second at 63.

His putting was particularly impressive. Griffin made approximately 159 feet of putts and gained more than four strokes on the field with his putter. He was leading the tournament in that category after the first round.

The extended break also gave him additional time to work on his short game. In his post-round comments reported by the PGA Tour, he said he studied his ShotLink statistics. From the analysis, he identified putting from outside 10 feet as an area that needed improvement.

“Just worked hard with the Spider on making them from long range. I tinkered with even the blade and tried to feel better from that from short change, but the Spider’s just felt really good and just kind of kept rolling with it. Yeah, came in here with some confidence with the putter, which is nice. It’s nice to have a two-month break for me to really practice with the putter; it’s been great,” he said.

His first-round performance suggested that the additional work had paid dividends.

The Mexico Open also marked his first appearance with veteran caddie Jon Yarbrough. Griffin had recently parted ways with Alex Ritthamel, who had worked alongside him for four and a half years.

Reflecting on the separation, Griffin described it as a difficult decision. He acknowledged the impact they had on each other’s lives, especially their breakthrough 2025 season together.

He also praised Yarbrough’s green-reading ability, which could have contributed to their productive opening day on the greens. Yarbrough’s ex-boss, Phil Mickelson, also praised his putt-reading skills.

Ben Griffin returned after sitting out the first four events of the FedExCup Fall. These included the Biltmore Championship Asheville, the Bank of Utah Championship, the BayCurrent Classic, and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.

His last appearance before the break was the BMW Championship, where he finished tied for 44th at 1-over par. He had entered the tournament ranked 38th in the FedExCup standings. He currently sits 50th in the FedExCup Fall standings.

Ben Griffin returns to competition at an interesting point in his schedule. The Mexico Open is followed by the World Wide Technology Championship in Los Cabos. He will look to defend the title he won there in 2025.