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University of North Carolina Athletics
A Game of Young Competition
October 19, 2014 | Men's Golf
By Laura Fellwock, UNC Athletic Communications
Two beds, one small room. Two trophies, one crowded shelf. Two freshmen, one fierce competition.
Ben Griffin and William Register smile and poke fun at one another in the North Carolina Men's Golf lounge, but inside, they know the stakes at hand. As the 2nd best freshman duo in the country, according to Golfstat, the pair quickly have become two of the most prominent freshmen golfers in the NCAA.
But it's the drive of the other's success that pushes them on.
"We feed off each other," Register said with a laugh.
"We try to beat each other," added Griffin with a smile.
The excitement, low scores, and competition of Griffin and Register have made Carolina's golf team one of the hottest in the country. Through the first four tournaments, Carolina has had two individual wins, one team win, one ACC Co-Player of the Month and National Player of the Week in Register, and broken into the Top 20 twice, the first time since February 2007 that the Tar Heels have been inside the elite bracket.
And the accolades don't stop there. Register is the 2nd highest-ranked freshman in the country at #22 in Golfweek's latest rankings, while Griffin also cracks the Top 50 at #41. Combined, the two have a 394.923 relative strength with a combined average score of 69.77, according to Golfstat.
But the two could care less about the numbers. They live for the chance to win.
Background
Register, a native of Burlington, N.C., found golf when he and his brother Robert Register, a senior on the team, began to play together. Ever since he discovered that golf was his best sport, he realized his potential and wanted to play for the Tar Heels.
"I pretty much always knew I wanted to come here," Register said.
Griffin grew up even closer to UNC Finley Golf Course. As a kid in Chapel Hill, he played at Chapel Hill Golf Club before changing to Finley, where he picked up his first collegiate win at the Tar Heel Intercollegiate. And though he investigated other schools, Carolina always called him back.
"I sort of thought about other places, but growing up a Tar Heel, I felt like this was the place for me to be," said Griffin.
Committed players since sophomore year of high school, Griffin and Register set goals early on and wanted to see them come true.
"I think we definitely have done a lot of good things so far this season," Griffin said. "We've gotten a win as a part of the team, and both Will and I have gotten individual wins, so that's been a plus. That's been a goal of both of ours to get that first college win."
Drive to Succeed
Though the two battle on and off the course, it is this competition that adds the element of fun and hard work to each of their routines.
"After I got my first win, he had to get a win quick in the next event," Griffin said of Register.
Register went on to win the next tournament at the Primland Collegiate Invitational in Meadows of Dan, Va., and in record-breaking fashion, no less. And he doesn't let Griffin forget it.
"We are both hardworking, but we also like to have fun," Register said.
"We are also very competitive," Griffin interjected. "I think competitive is a good word to describe us."
Even during a round, they get updates on the other's round, the coaches egging them on to outdo the other's success. Yet Griffin and Register put the team first.
"When you have one guy playing well, it kind of motivates everybody else to play well," said Register.
"They feel like they need to step up a little bit, seeing freshmen doing well," Griffin added. "They feel like they're obligated to do a little better, so I guess that probably pushes them to work a little harder."
And when asked about their ideal golf moment, neither mentioned a hole-out to win the Masters or the final putt to help the USA take back the Ryder Cup. It was the drive to win a national championship with their team that excited them the most.
"That'd be incredible," Griffin said. "I just think it'd be cool to be the guy that wins it for your team."
But they try not to look too far off, especially not to the NCAA Regionals held in Chapel Hill in May.
"We are always just trying to get prepared for the next one," Register said. "You definitely think about Regionals and preparing for that, but we do that by playing well for each tournament leading up to it."
And this drive to succeed and compete is not unnoticed by the rest of the team.
"They get it," said Head Coach Andrew Sapp. "At a young age, you usually don't find freshmen who get it. And they do. They know exactly what we're trying to do. They didn't say 'I can't wait to make a putt to win the Masters.' They said 'I can't wait to be the guy that helps us win the National Championship.' They're both hard workers, number one. They're not going to be outworked by anyone."
Their smarts and ability to focus in the face of a challenge also sets them apart.
"They're competing every day, whether it's putting competitions or chipping contests," Sapp said. "You're not going to see these guys beating balls just to beat balls. They're trying to figure out how to get the ball in the hole quicker than the next guy. So that's how they get it."
And their advice to help maintain such great form?
"Sleep," Griffin said. "I like to have a lot of energy when I go into tournaments and not be tired playing."
"I try to avoid golf off the course," added Register.
But both share this innate drive to compete, and ultimately, to win. And in this case, it's Griffin who gets the last word.
"If I get the opportunity to get there, I'm gonna take it."
The Tar Heels head to Greensboro, N.C. on Oct. 25-26 for the final tournament of the fall season at the Bridgestone Golf Collegiate where they are the reigning champions. Live stats will be available on Golfstat.com. For more information on Ben Griffin and William Register, please visit the Men's Golf Homepage on GoHeels.com.
