Ben Griffin Fires 64 in Mexico After Caddie Change and Knee Scare

Ben Griffin couldn't have asked for a much better return to the PGA Tour. New caddie, recovering knee, limited preparation? Apparently, none of it mattered Thursday.

Griffin fired a 7-under 64 in the opening round of the VidantaWorld Mexico Open, putting himself one shot behind leader Kensei Hirata and immediately validating an offseason filled with difficult decisions.

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The three-time PGA Tour winner made 159 feet of putts, gained more than four strokes on the greens and showed little rust in his first competitive appearance since August's BMW Championship.

Perhaps the biggest change was standing beside him.

Griffin debuted veteran caddie Jon Yarbrough after ending a successful four-and-a-half-year partnership with Alex Ritthamel, who helped guide him from an emerging professional to a Ryder Cup participant and multiple PGA Tour champion.

It wasn't an easy separation.

"Four and a half years, we changed each other's lives," Griffin said. "So it was a really tough decision honestly."

But Yarbrough's reputation as an elite green reader provided an immediate advantage.

Griffin credited his new partner with reinforcing his putting decisions, particularly on shorter attempts where confidence can make all the difference.

The results were difficult to ignore.

Griffin opened with three birdies on a bogey-free front nine before adding an eagle and four more birdies after the turn.

His biggest highlight came on the par-5 third, where he drained a 41-foot eagle putt.

He also converted four other putts from beyond 15 feet.

That performance was especially encouraging considering Griffin spent much of his offseason addressing a troublesome left knee.

An MRI revealed a cartilage fissure, prompting platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid injections.

Thursday marked his first time walking a full competitive round since August.

The extended recovery also created an opportunity to address another weakness.

After reviewing his ShotLink statistics, Griffin focused on improving his putting from outside 10 feet, experimenting with different equipment before settling back into his TaylorMade Spider putter.

"Just worked hard with the Spider on making them from long range," Griffin said.

The extra practice appears to be paying off.

Griffin entered Mexico seeking momentum after a frustrating 2026 season that produced just four top-10 finishes.

He also missed selection for the United States Presidents Cup team after slipping out of an automatic qualifying position.

Now, he's back near the top of a PGA Tour leaderboard.

Japan's Hirata grabbed the first-round lead with an 8-under 63, while Marco Penge matched Griffin's 64.

For Griffin, the opening round wasn't simply about chasing another trophy.

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It was evidence that his knee can withstand tournament conditions, his putting adjustments are working and his new partnership has immediate potential.

Three rounds remain, but his fresh start couldn't have gone much better.