Ben Griffin Says He Carried $20,000 Debt Before PGA Tour

Ben Griffin, who has earned more than $22 million on the PGA Tour since breaking through with three wins in 2025, says he carried roughly $20,000 in debt through the mini tours before he ever locked down a full-time card.

How did Ben Griffin end up in debt?

Griffin struggled to establish himself early in his professional career on PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour Latinoamerica and the Korn Ferry Tour. In 2021, carrying significant credit card debt, he walked away from golf to take a job as a loan officer for a mortgage group. He returned to the game later that year and worked his way back through qualifying to rejoin the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022, telling Golf Monthly he was about $20,000 in debt by the time he got there.

What does it cost to play the mini tours?

Griffin described a system where players fund their own shot at a career. Trying to qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour alone runs $5,000 or more in entry fees, and travel costs push higher from there. Players often couch surf to cut lodging costs, and still have to cover practice-round and cart fees, rental cars and meals out of pocket.

"You can get to $17,000 of debt in a month easily. It's very common on the mini tours." — Ben Griffin

Who helped Griffin get back on his feet?

Sponsor Doug Sieg, managing partner and CEO of private investment firm Lord Abbett, backed Griffin financially when he decided to return to competitive golf, support Griffin credits with clearing his debt and letting him focus on playing rather than money. Griffin has said he plays his best golf when free of that kind of financial pressure, something he still works on mentally even now that the debt is gone.

How has Griffin's career turned around?

Griffin won three PGA Tour titles in 2025 within roughly a six-month span and earned a point for the U.S. team at that year's Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. He has not won in 2026 and missed out on a spot in this week's Presidents Cup team, a stretch he has described as one of the game's normal peaks and valleys.