ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS

April 26, 2025

Ben Griffin

Andrew Novak

TPC Louisiana

Quick Quotes

Q. Cover this event since it went to the team format. I have never really heard of the strategy in four balls of competing against your teammate. Talk about how you came up with that. How you think it works for and you what's at stake?

ANDREW NOVAK: I think we have probably two of the best short games on TOUR. Last year he was up there. I don't know if you finished first or not in hole outs, but you were up there very high.

BEN GRIFFIN: Close.

ANDREW NOVAK: This year I am a little a head of him I think overall. We were doing some jabs at each other, and sort of became a thing on the first day after we chipped in three times on the front nine.

Q. How do you think it helps in this format? Does it keep you loose?

BEN GRIFFIN: Yeah, totally. It makes it fun. Everything about the format is fun. It's just an added game that we can compete against each other with. We're on the same side, but it's just fun to change it up a little bit.

Q. What's at stake, dinner or what?

BEN GRIFFIN: Nothing really. Just pride.

ANDREW NOVAK: He doesn't eat steak.

BEN GRIFFIN: Just pride. A lot of pride.

Q. More importantly, just the whole approach of playing with the lead and what you feel worked for you today and how it sets you up for tomorrow.

ANDREW NOVAK: Yeah, I thought we got off to a really good start today, which was I think good. In this format, when you tee off you don't have the lead anymore. Everybody is past you. It's four ball. It was nice to get our ahead of it, get off to a good start, get momentum going. After the rain delay Ben got hot and made some good putts, and overall just a great day.

BEN GRIFFIN: Yeah, it's funny. If we go back three weeks ago we played in Houston and had a big rain delay after nine almost exactly like today. I came back and was playing horrible. Still made the cut, but it was nice to kind of come out of this rain delay this time three weeks later and play a little bit better.

I thought we ham and egged it really well. Andrew got hot on the front nine. Kind of after I made birdie on the first I didn't need to do a whole lot on the front. Then the back I saved him when he needed me.

So tomorrow we are going to be grinding it out. May not hit the best shots from time to time, but there will be opportunities for chip-ins and we'll be excited about it.

Q. Were you thinking about Houston during the delay or were you trying not to think about golf?

BEN GRIFFIN: We mentioned it. It's just so a similar. We were playing in the same group, got through nine holes, and boom, weather delay. It's identical and we were playing together.

Yeah, I didn't putt it very well coming out of the delay. I putted a lot and the greens got a little bit slower at Houston on the practice putting green. I feel like on the course felt like they stayed kind of the same, so I was out of my rhythm.

I tried not to putt too much. Only hit some short putts, and then came back out, and then, yeah, got off it a good start holing out a 12-footer on 10.

Q. What would a win mean to each you guys tomorrow?

BEN GRIFFIN: Yeah, that's what we both practice for and play on the PGA TOUR. We want to compete against the best players and want to ultimately test ourselves and try to get it done.

It'll mean a lot. Obviously a ton at stake when you win on the PGA TOUR. We're going to be focused on each individual shot tomorrow just try and execute.

ANDREW NOVAK: And I think it's just the next step. I think I have proven I can get into contention reasonably consistently at this point. It's just proving to myself that I can win a tournament.

You know, joining that tournament winners category, hopefully that snowball into more wins.

Q. With a three-shot lead how important is that tomorrow especially in the tougher format?

ANDREW NOVAK: Yeah, three shots can be gone pretty quick. It's nice to have it, but we're going to have to still play well.

It's nice to have, but I don't think we're going to be thinking about it too much.

BEN GRIFFIN: Yeah.

Q. I think I heard one of you mention the Masters and Rory overcoming a deficit. Do you have any thoughts on him being in that same situation here but chasing you guys?

BEN GRIFFIN: I mean, the point is there is no safe lead on the PGA TOUR. You've got to stay aggressive. There is a lot of intimidating tee shots and par-3s out here. Both of you are going to have to step up on those shots tomorrow and execute.

Yeah, Rory is an example of how things can change fast out here and we have to make sure we keep building on our lead and try to win by a lot.