Ben Griffin announces intention to get his game to the point where he can beat Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup

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Ben Griffin could well come head-to-head with Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup in September.

Griffin has burst onto the scene on the PGA Tour this season, with two wins to his name, and it seems to be very likely that he will be on the US Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black.

McIlroy will definitely be part of the European team for the eighth time in his career. That’s remarkable really considering the fact that he’s only 36.

But Griffin, 29, has no fear of taking on the Northern Irishman it seems.

Griffin has spoken about how the American Ryder Cup team will be more closely knit with Keegan Bradley at the helm.

And the two-time PGA Tour winner is clearly desperate to be on the team at Bethpage in September.

Ben Griffin ready to beat Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup

Griffin may still be very inexperienced in playing at the very highest level of the game.

However, he certainly isn’t lacking in confidence.

Griffin spoke to reporters ahead of the Wyndham Championship on Tuesday, and responded when asked if the Ryder Cup is featuring heavily on his mind right now.

He said: “I feel like it’s mentioned every single day so like it’s always on my mind whether I want it to be or not. And look, I’ve said it tons in interviews and stuff, if I just do the right things each week, and this week in particular if I play really well and just focus on winning, the by-product of that’s going to be making the Ryder Cup team, and same with each week in the Playoffs.

“The more I kind of look at rankings or whatever, it’s not going to help me. The only thing that can help me is playing extremely good golf against the best players in the world every single week and if I can do that, it’s going to take care of itself.

“Yeah, it would be an honor to be on that team. It’s something I think everyone that’s around that’s American at least and in the mix of being in the Ryder Cup, everyone dreamed of it as a kid. So even getting on Tour and on the Korn Ferry Tour, everyone, those are events you want to play in. You want to represent your country, it’s just a tremendous honor.

“Yeah, I want to make sure like my game, like I can’t just sit here and hope to get on that team. I need to continue to play really good golf because even if I was to like not play well and still be on the team, I want to be playing really well when I’m at the Ryder Cup. So I’ve got to continue to do the right things right now and build this next month and a half stretch leading into Bethpage to where I’m playing really elite golf and I can beat Rory McIlroy and I can beat Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. Like I want to have that mindset when I get there and I don’t want to just sit here on a boat and just relax, and think I can cruise into Bethpage. I’ve got to keep the pedal down without a doubt. I’m excited for the challenge, I’m excited to tee it up each and every day and challenge myself and try to make birdies on the hardest holes out here. That’s all I can do.“

That’s a great attitude to have in all fairness, and Griffin has shown this season that he definitely has the game needed to compete with the very best in the game.

2025 PGA Tour stats: Ben Griffin vs Rory McIlroy

McIlroy is one of the best in the business.

Only Scottie Scheffler has had more wins and earned more money than him this season.

So how do his stats compare with Griffin’s?

Aside from the iron play category, McIlroy is streets ahead of Griffin in every department.

So the challenge for the American will be to improve every aspect of his game in the build-up to the Ryder Cup.

However, one thing he doesn’t lack is confidence, and that is worth so much in team competition.