Griffin wins Rice Planters in US
BY Anthony Powter | US Mens Amateur Tour | 2008 Rice Planters Amateur | Round Four | 06 Jul 2008
Matt Griffin secured his maiden US amateur title in winning the 2008 Rice Planters Amateur in South Carolina.
Griffin fired a closing round 3-under-par 69 to equal Aron Price’s 2004 tournament record of 17-under-par to finish a stroke ahead of American Mike Stern, at 16-under-par. Fellow Australian Josh Younger finished third at 15-under-par, after a final round 67.
Matthew Griffin Audio Interview
In recent years Australians have dominated the Rice Planters tournament. Nationwide Tour player Aron Price won in 2004, the following year Asian Tour player Tristan Lambert won, Tim Stewart was runner-up in 2006 and Michael Foster won last year in a two-hole playoff with Josh Younger, after both finished the tournament at 12-under-par 276, and a shot ahead of Griffin.
Griffin’s victory today marks the fifth Australian victory in eight years at the Rice Planters since Adam Groom secured the title in 2001.
International victories are prized amongst world-class amateurs. Tournament fields are stronger, conditions different and it proves a player’s adaptability to compete whilst on tour. Not that Griffin lacks these attributes.
Griffin’s international results include two top-ten finishes in his maiden tour last year to America, ironically one of those was at the Rice Planters, where he finished 3rd after missing the play-off by a single shot, the Eastern Amateur, and a runners-up finish at the Jockey Club Rasario in Argentina.
Today’s win in South Carolina takes on special significance not just because it’s Griffin’s first international win, but as it was a goal of his to win in America this tour.
“To finally bag a US event is just great,” remarked a relieved Griffin this evening.
“It got tight towards the middle there with Mike Stern closing the two shot gap. I managed to dig deep and kept it going to pull it off.”
Griffin is considered a hard worker both on and off the course. A late bloomer to the game, he first completed Degrees in Commerce and Economics at Monash University, before realising his golfing talent.
Griffin still dabbles in the odd share transfer on the market, but prefers to focus upon plying his trade on the golf course where in his case there is more consistency, as opposed to the volatility of the stock market.
He’s been the ‘Mr Consistency’ of Australian amateur golf for the last eighteen months, with eight top-ten finishes from nine Australian National Selection trial events during the 2008 season. This included two wins with the Mandurah Easter and Keperra Bowl, justifying his automatic Eisenhower Team selection for the World Amateur Championships this October in Adelaide.
Following today’s win in only his second tournament in the US this season, Griffin will head to next week’s Players Championship confident of obtaining a similar finish.
“The beauty about winning so early on is that it gives you a tremendous lift heading into the remainder of your schedule. I’ve go the Players Championship as well as the Western, two big events to look forward to, and I feel I can really compete well now in those.”
The world number 7 will continue to be a dominant force in America this season and his win at the Rice Planters sends a message to fellow competitors in the remaining US events that he’ll be a serious challenger.
“I said back in Australia after winning the Keperra Bowl that I wanted to come over here and win one maybe two of these American titles.”
Griffin hasn’t changed his objective if anything he’s more motivated and confident he can achieve his goals.
“That’s my goal and with the way that I was striking the ball this week, I’m feeling confident about achieving my goals. The events are huge here and there are so many good players in the fields it certainly will be a challenge, but that’s why you have your goals.”
