Ben Griffin shared his recollections about meeting Akshay Bhatia for the first time during the Memorial Tournament, highlighting the context of their past in junior golf. Speaking at a press conference held at Muirfield Village after the tournament’s second round, Griffin expressed that Bhatia likely has no memory of their initial meeting given how young he was at the time. This moment marked a meaningful reflection on the beginnings of their relationship within the professional golfing world.

Griffin explained,

“He probably doesn’t even remember because he was so young, but yeah, just going back to junior golf, we played in the same kind of events in North Carolina, whether it be the Tarheel TOUR, Carolina Golf Association, there’s a bunch of events in North Carolina where I would see little Akshay walking around. He was probably, I think we have maybe a six-year gap…he was significantly smaller than me.”

—Ben Griffin, Golfer

Akshay Bhatia Shares His Perspective on Their History

When asked about remembering their early connection, Akshay Bhatia provided his side, emphasizing the closeness in their careers since turning professional and their interactions during qualifying school. While he acknowledged Griffin turning pro before him, Bhatia recalled sharing experiences at Q-School and maintaining a strong relationship through their common agency and time spent playing together in Raleigh. Despite their time apart geographically, their connection remained solid as they both progressed on the professional circuit.

“I think he turned pro a little before me, but I remember — you know, we talk about at Q-School, first year we did Q-School together in 2019, we stayed together and we have the same agency and played a little golf together in Raleigh, but he was never kind of there. He was either in Sea Island or back in Chapel Hill. So we have a great relationship, though.”

—Akshay Bhatia, Golfer

Schedule for Third Round Tee Times at the Memorial Tournament

Both Ben Griffin and Akshay Bhatia are set to compete in the third round of the Memorial Tournament on Saturday, with their tee times spaced closely on the course. Griffin is scheduled to tee off at 3:10 p.m. alongside Nick Taylor, while Bhatia will begin his round at 2:59 p.m. paired with Scottie Scheffler. The third round’s tee times span throughout the day at Muirfield Village, reflecting a competitive field of established players and rising stars.

The full lineup of tee times for the third round, in Eastern Time, is as follows:

10:00 a.m.: Hideki Matsuyama

10:05 a.m.: Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark

10:15 a.m.: Matt Kuchar, Adam Hadwin

10:25 a.m.: Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Thomas

10:36 a.m.: Max Greyserman, Michael Kim

10:47 a.m.: Alex Noren, Stephan Jaeger

10:58 a.m.: Adam Scott, Brandt Snedeker

11:09 a.m.: Nick Dunlap, Thomas Detry

11:20 a.m.: Jhonattan Vegas, Harry Higgs

11:31 a.m.: Denny McCarthy, Viktor Hovland

11:42 a.m.: Si Woo Kim, Sepp Straka

11:58 a.m.: Max Homa, Tommy Fleetwood

12:09 p.m.: Min Woo Lee, Sam Stevens

12:20 p.m.: Andrew Novak, Maverick McNealy

12:31 p.m.: Austin Eckroat, Ludvig Åberg

12:42 p.m.: Davis Thompson, Corey Conners

12:53 p.m.: Tony Finau, Bud Cauley

1:04 p.m.: Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler

1:15 p.m.: Robert MacIntyre, Patrick Cantlay

1:26 p.m.: Sungjae Im, Taylor Pendrith

1:37 p.m.: Eric Cole, Ryan Gerard

1:48 p.m.: Harris English, Justin Rose

2:04 p.m.: Mackenzie Hughes, Jacob Bridgeman

2:15 p.m.: Collin Morikawa, Ryan Fox

2:26 p.m.: Russell Henley, Xander Schauffele

2:37 p.m.: Jordan Spieth, Tom Hoge

2:48 p.m.: Sam Burns, Shane Lowry

2:59 p.m.: Akshay Bhatia, Scottie Scheffler

3:10 p.m.: Nick Taylor, Ben Griffin

Implications of Their Meeting and Upcoming Round

The mutual history between Ben Griffin and Akshay Bhatia adds a layer of personal connection to the competition as they prepare for their third-round performances at the Memorial Tournament. Their early encounters in junior golf circuits within North Carolina, paired with shared experiences on professional tours, illustrate the pathways players follow from grassroots events to the highest levels of the sport. Observers can watch how their evolving careers and ongoing rivalry influence their gameplay moving forward in the tournament.