PGA Tour: Getting to Know Rising Star Lanto Griffin
By Tim Letcher
Lanto Griffin is taking advantage of his opportunity on the PGA Tour. Get to know this rising star.
The name Lanto Griffin is one that may not be familiar to many casual golf fans. However, those who have paid attention to early results on this season’s PGA Tour, Griffin’s name is one that has become recognizable.
Griffin played his college golf at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned a degree in marketing in 2010. He turned pro shortly thereafter and made his PGA Tour debut at the 2011 Wells Fargo Championship, where he was a Monday qualifier. He missed the cut at that event, as he did at the Greenbrier Classic that same season.
To say that the California native has paid his dues on lesser tours would be an understatement. He played in China in 2014 and on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica in 2015, where he earned a win at the Roberto de Vicenzo Punta del Este Open Copa NEC.
More from Pro Golf Now
- Golf Rumors: LIV set to sign Masters Champion in stunning deal
- Fantasy Golf: Grant Thornton Invitational DFS Player Selections
- Brutal return leaves Will Zalatoris looking towards 2024
- Stars You Know at World Champions Cup Starts Thursday at Concession
- Fantasy Golf: An Early Look at the 2024 Masters Tournament
In 2017, he finally made it to the Korn Ferry Tour, where he made 24 starts. He earned one of the more impressive comeback wins in Korn Ferry Tour history at the Nashville Golf Open, where he made the cut on the number. He tied the course record with a third-round 62, then rallied on Sunday to get into a playoff, where he topped Abraham Ancer with a 20-foot putt on the first playoff hole.
Griffin played on the PGA Tour in 2018, with 26 starts and 13 cuts made. However, he had only one top 25 finish and ended up 171st in the FedEx Cup standings.
So, it was back to the Korn Ferry Tour in 2019, where Griffin had much more success. He earned his second Korn Ferry win at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Championship in dramatic fashion. He birdied the 72nd hole to get into a playoff, where he beat Robby Shelton on the fourth playoff hole.
Griffin ended up sixth on the Korn Ferry Tour money list, earning his PGA Tour card for the 2020 season. And this time around, he’s taking full advantage of his opportunity.
He has made 16 starts already this season, with 13 cuts made. More importantly, he has three top 10 finishes, including his first PGA Tour win.
That win was historic not only for Griffin, but in Tour history. It came at the Houston Open, where Griffin became the first player in Tour history to earn a win without previously having a top 10 finish in almost a year (Dylan Frittelli at the 2019 John Deere Classic).
Griffin held off Scott Harrington and Mark Hubbard to win by one shot and, after years of trying to get to the summit of the golf world, found himself at the top of the FedEx Cup standings.
Next. Golf Tips: Understanding your Surroundings When Chipping. dark
At age 31, Griffin has found his rhythm on the PGA Tour. He has proven that he can play with the best players in the world, currently ranking eighth in the FedEx Cup standings. With that confidence now in his back pocket, big things are within his grasp once the PGA Tour season gets started again.