During the BMW Championship held in Owings Mills, Md., Ben Griffin experienced a highly unusual situation involving creatine, a supplement he regularly consumes before rounds. Griffin accidentally swallowed a large lump of creatine shortly after teeing off on the final day, which triggered severe shaking and an unsteady start to his round. Despite this rocky beginning, Griffin recovered impressively to finish tied for 12th place.

Griffin Describes the Unsettling Effects and Initial Struggles

Griffin explained that he generally takes creatine during his rounds without issue, but this time the experience was markedly different.

“I’ve taken it on the golf course before. It’s fine,”

Griffin said.

“I started taking it after my second shot, and I accidentally swallowed one of the big rocks in my water bottle. I’ve never overdosed on creatine before, but I think I did in the moment because I didn’t really drink any water after that. I basically just inhaled a snowball. So I started getting super shaky. I’ve never felt like that before, and I felt like I had tremors. I four-putted (No.) 1 and on (No.) 2, I was like freaking out and didn’t know what to do. Like, I hit it so far out of bounds.”

The effects were immediate and severe: Griffin’s hands trembled, and his usual composure vanished, leading to a disastrous start where he tallied a triple bogey on the first hole and a double bogey on the second.

Support from Caddie and Griffin’s Recovery Efforts

Griffin credits his caddie’s intervention for helping him regain control of the round.

“Luckily, my caddie stepped in and made me chug a whole water and tried to calm down a little bit,”

Griffin recalled.

“I hit the other one in play, and then I was fine. I ended up making, whatever, a double on that hole and bogeyed the next hole. It was probably more just a little bit flustered. I was fine after the second shot on two. And then it was — I felt good so I went about my day and got it back to under par. But, yeah, pretty crazy story. I don’t think I’ll be taking too much creatine in the future. I will take it, but not in the amount that I probably did on the golf course, which wasn’t probably a healthy amount.”

After pausing at the third tee box to steady himself, Griffin set a goal to recover his score, ultimately playing the remaining 15 holes at seven under par and finishing with a strong 69.

The Incident’s Impact and What Lies Ahead for Griffin

The Ben Griffin creatine overdose incident serves as a striking example of how quickly unforeseen circumstances can disrupt even the most routine aspects of athletic performance. Griffin admitted that the overwhelming physical symptoms tempted him to withdraw from the tournament, but his determination to continue paid off. His powerful comeback not only salvaged his position but also showcased mental resilience under pressure.

Moving forward, Griffin indicated plans to adjust his creatine intake during play, emphasizing the need for caution with supplement consumption under competitive conditions. This experience may prompt other athletes to reconsider how they manage supplements when competing at high-stakes events like the BMW Championship.