Morikawa, Homa and Lowry not only pose as Griffin's closet competitors heading into Friday but as three of only 13 players to break par Thursday. One of those men joining them late thanks to a flurry of back-nine birdies was the world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who began his title defense with a ho-hum 70.

Five days after winning his first individual title on the PGA Tour, Ben Griffin posted a 7-under 65 to kick start his 2025 Memorial Tournament.

DUBLIN, Ohio — Ben Griffin resumed the great play that brought him his first individual PGA Tour victory last week, hitting two shots in the water and still posting a 7-under 65 on Thursday in the Memorial on a course with rough as dense as a U.S. Open.