Ben Griffin's 'Tough Decision' To Switch To Phil Mickelson's Former Caddie Pays Off

Ben Griffin and new caddie Jon Yarbrough at the Mexico Open — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Ben Griffin returned to action with a bang at the Mexico Open, having made the tough decision to split with his former caddie after they "changed each other's lives" working together.

Griffin ended a hugely successful four-and-a-half-year partnership with Alex Ritthamel during which time he became a multiple PGA Tour winner and Ryder Cup player.

But the switch to Phil Mickelson's former caddie Jon Yarbrough paid off immediately with the veteran bagman showing why he's known as 'Greens Book Jonny' by helping Griffin record a stunning putting round in Mexico.

Thanks to a steller display on the greens, Griffin shot 64 in his first competitive action since August as he returned to golf following a knee injury scare.

Griffin won three times on the PGA Tour in 2025 with Ritthamel on his bag as he earned a Ryder Cup spot, but the 30-year-old just felt the time was right to make a change.

"So incredible run with Alex, previous caddie," Griffin said after his opening round in Mexico. "Four and a half years, we changed each other's lives. So it was a really tough decision honestly. All respect to Alex. We had a great run and we had so much fun together really. Still friendly.

"It's just tough out here. Four and a half years and I just felt like the time was right for me to make a switch, and yeah, it's worked out really well."

Mickelson described Yarbrough as the "best green reader I've ever seen" during their partnership which started at the 2024 Masters, and that showed in Griffin's remarkable display on the greens.

In their first round together, Griffin made 159 feet of putts at the Mexico Open and gained over four strokes on the greens - with Yarbrough backing him up with his reads.

"Jon's really good on the greens," Griffin confirmed. "He's known as one of the best green readers out here, so having him today from close range was nice to help me kind of reaffirm some of my reads.

"And then yeah, he's one of the chillest dudes out here, super calm and it's been fun so far having him one day in."

No rust on Griffin after knee procedure

Griffin was last seen in action at the BMW Championship back in August, and he explained that he's taken the time to try and cure a troubling knee injury.

"So actually I got knee injections in my left knee, I got PRP and hyaluronic acid put in my left knee," Griffin revealed.

"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."

There was no signs of rust on Griffin's game in Mexico despite a prolonged period out, and no issues either in getting around the course - which thankfully for him is one of the flatter layouts he'll face as his return was slightly ahead of schedule.

"I was kind of not playing golf for about a month, was just relaxing and slowly kind of eased my way back in," he added. "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.

"I'm not too worried about it 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 got that done, still feel good right now. This is my first time walking 18 since the BMW so I'm just glad I made it through. It's a flat golf course and I feel great."

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.