Meet Ben Griffin’s parents, Cowan & Erica Griffin: personal life, career and more details about the family of PGA Tour -stars

“If you don’t like it, it will be a difficult job that you are good at.” The quote, if it is heard in 2024, would not feel as relevant as in 2025. Ben Griffin said that these wise words for his struggle for life, which he fought to make himself compete against the prominent names in the sport and to win multiple titles. The 29-year-old in a single season has already won two wins, including the Zurich Classic and the Charles Schwab Challenge. Since the start of his golf trip, his parents have contributed enormously to helping the golfer to achieve his goals.

Let’s get to know his parents better and how their contribution has formed the golfer that runs heads.

Early life and profession of the parents of Ben Griffin

Born in Cowan and Erika Griffin in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Ben is the oldest of the two sons. Both parents met and started their love life at the University of North Carolina. Father Cowan Griffin worked as a seasoned real estate professional and president of Carolina Realty in Chapel Hill. With his expertise in the field, he has been the most important support for the family. On the other hand, his mother, Erika Griffin, has been successful in the mortgage industry. She holds the position of senior mortgage banker at CIMG Residential MortGage.

Although his parents have a service background, his sport has been in his bloodline. The great-grandfather of the golfer, Ben Shields, played like a Major League baseball world for the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees in the 1920s and 1930s. In the later generation, the passion for sport continued, but the sport changed to Golf.

For Ben Griffin it was his father and grandfather who received early exposure to golf. His father played a crucial role in his career because he was the Caddy during the Junior years of Griffin’s career. Not only this, but when Griffin struggled with his career, it was his parents who offered an alternative to have his headroom erase.

The unprecedented story of the battle behind the rising PGA Tour professional

With the ups and downs in life, the Griffins are the unwavering pillar for their sons. Ben Griffin expressed his gratitude for their contribution and support, after his victory at the Charles Schwab Challenge: “I mention that to go back to Junior Golf. My parents grew up so much for me.”

He even shared “They were hit hard by the recession, the recession of 2008. They have invested a lot that I could practice and compete.” During the recession, the family collected their house and given up their membership in the Country Club. Although there was not much to spend, his parents kept him playing on the public golf course, and they shared that they were still among the middle-to-mid-class.

With the strong basis for the game after the fight, Ben became professional in 2018, but his career graphic did not go as expected. He participated in the Korn Ferry Tour, but with only one win in three years and no signs of getting the PGA Tour card, he became debted and was confronted with a financial crisis.

As for the hardships he was confronted, he shared, “I was unable to pay my own rent without the help of parents and health insurance, whatever it could be. I was 24 or 25, and I had something like that, it’s a point in my life where I don’t want to trust my parents for something.”

The consequences of which led to its field to change and become a mortgage loans. He worked at the same CIMG Residential Mortgage where his mother was employed. Although the possibility of participating again illuminated his eye, he took the chance after a month of work as a loan officer and voila!

The attempt to regain confidence worked out for him and soon he became a PGA Tour professional. Now, with the 2025 season, he is one of the top names that can etch his name in the history books. With considerable sacrifices and hardships from parents, the golfer has now started to create his way to glory.