Ben Griffin Could Become The First Major Winner Using This Brand In Over 30 Years

No golfer has won a Major Championship with a Maxfli golf ball since 1993. A Ben Griffin victory would change that this weekend...

Ben Griffin acknowledging the crowd after holing a putt and images of Greg Norman hitting a chip and a close up of a Maxfli golf ball
(Image credit: Getty Images/Future)

After taking a four-year break from the game, multiple PGA Tour champion Ben Griffin's comeback story continues to gather momentum, as the former loan officer finds himself bang in contention for the US Open title.

After Griffin gave up golf in 2021 to work for a mortgage group, the 29-year-old has returned with a fire in his belly, winning this season's Zurich Classic of New Orleans and Charles Schwab Challenge.

Having done so with a ball that has kind of been forgotten, could another comeback be on the cards... for Maxfli?

Had you found a Maxfli golf ball in the rough in the 90s, you'd have picked it up and put it in your bag - it was one that rivaled Titleist as the best and most popular in the game.

However, after the release of the Titleist Pro V1, wound golf balls died a slow death. The Maxfli brand was ultimately sold to TaylorMade in 2002 and again six years later to Dick’s Sporting Goods.

What's this all got to do with Griffin? Well, he's playing with a Maxfli golf ball, of course.

He became interested in the ball when Major champion Lexi Thompson signed a deal with the manufacturer and, in May 2024, he did the same.

Lexi Thompson smiles and holds up her new Maxfli ball

(Image credit: Maxfli)

The American, who plays the Maxfli Tour X golf ball, said: "Lexi drew my interest to the ball initially.

"I saw she was playing it and my caddie, who used to caddie for Lexi’s brother Curtis, thought I should at least test out the Maxfli to see how it performed.

"It was roughly eight yards additional during preliminary testing. Around the green, I didn’t see a ton of differences across balls.

Maxfli man Ben Griffin

Ben Griffin, who falso inished second at the Memorial Tourament, plays with a Maxfli Tour X golf ball

(Image credit: Getty Images)

"That’s when the distance side really started to intrigue me. There are certain weeks out here when distance has kind of turned into a priority."

Griffin's victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he teamed up with Andrew Novak, was the brand's first win on the PGA Tour in 22 years.

Should the man from Chapel Hill, North Carolina lift the US Open trophy on Sunday, he will be have become the first golfer to win a Major Championship with a Maxfli ball since Greg Norman lifted the Claret Jug in 1993.

Maxfli ball player Greg Norman en route to winning The Open in 1993

Greg Norman played with a Maxfli golf ball en route to winning The Open at Royal St George's in 1993

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A four-piece ball that features a soft urethane cover, during testing we were particularly impressed with its distance off the tee, as well as its performance in windy conditions.

It's also worth pointing out that this ball is significantly cheaper than the best premium golf balls on the market.

Michael Weston
Contributing editor

Michael has been with Golf Monthly since 2008. A multimedia journalist, he has also worked for The Football Association, where he created content to support the England football team, The FA Cup, London 2012, and FA Women's Super League. As content editor at Foremost Golf, Michael worked closely with golf's biggest equipment manufacturers and has developed an in-depth knowledge of this side of the industry. He's a regular contributor, covering instruction, equipment, travel and feature content. Michael has interviewed many of the game's biggest stars, including seven World No.1s, and has attended and reported on numerous Major Championships and Ryder Cups around the world. He's a member of Formby Golf Club in Merseyside, UK.

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