Lead the 2025 Procore Championship at 14-under through two rounds, and you’d think Ben Griffin would be focused entirely on his bogey-free streak and Ryder Cup preparation. Instead, during his post-round press conference, Griffin found himself reminiscing about the time he used to terrorize a college teammate by hiding his clubs—a teammate who just shot 61 on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Austin Hitt fired a tournament-leading 61 at the Simmons Bank Open on Friday, leading by one stroke at 13-under par. Meanwhile, Griffin sits atop the Procore Championship leaderboard with consecutive rounds of 64-66. But when reporters asked about his former University of North Carolina teammate’s breakthrough performance, Griffin couldn’t help but grin.
“That’s awesome he shot 61,” Griffin said. “Pulling for him hard these last few weeks. He’s right on the cusp of getting his PGA TOUR card.”
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Then came the story that had the press room laughing. The tale reveals how college pranks sometimes shape professional careers in the most unexpected ways.
Griffin’s mischievous plan started with perfect timing and strategic thinking. He would always arrive at UNC’s Chapman Center just before Hitt got there. “He was always known for hitting a bunch of balls, just go straight to the range, then just like go to the course, wouldn’t hit any putts,” Griffin recalled.
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Everyone knew putting wasn’t Hitt’s strongest suit back then. So Griffin, confident in his own putting skills, devised a devious scheme that would become legendary among their teammates.
“I would always go straight to the locker room and take his putter and hide it somewhere in the Chapman Center,” Griffin explained. But then he corrected himself with a laugh. “Actually, that’s what I did. I hid all his clubs except for his putter.”
The rules were simple yet cruel. “I basically told him he had to beat me in a putting contest before he could go hit balls,” Griffin said.
The results were predictably frustrating for Hitt. “He rarely would beat me. He’d always get too frustrated and he’d eventually give up. I’m like all right, go hit your irons or whatever.”
Griffin admits he had a significant advantage in these contests. “To be fair, I’d practiced there for like my entire life so I knew like every break on that entire green. He’s coming from Orlando where he’s putting on Bermuda and he comes up there to bentgrass and so there’s a bit of an edge.”
The unconventional coaching method seems to have paid dividends years later. Today, Hitt credited his putting as the key to his career-low 61. Griffin’s commitment to performance over convention extends beyond college pranks into his professional equipment choices as well.
Ben Griffin’s Bonds That Transcend Tours
What makes this story special isn’t just the humor; it’s also the characters. It’s the genuine friendship that endures across different professional levels and continues to inspire both players today. Griffin speaks about Hitt with obvious affection and respect. “Awesome guy, awesome player. He’s dealt with a lot in the last couple years. He’s been playing some really good golf. It’s awesome to see him play great.”
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The two overlapped during the 2017-18 season at UNC, creating memories that lasted well beyond graduation. Griffin went on to achieve remarkable success with two PGA Tour victories this season. Meanwhile, Hitt continued developing his game through various developmental tours. “That’s just a lot of good memories with Austin,” Griffin reflected warmly.
Now Griffin competes on the PGA Tour, having earned nearly $10 million this season. Meanwhile, Hitt sits 41st on the Korn Ferry Tour points list, just 11 spots away from earning his first PGA Tour card.