GREENSBORO, N.C. – Ryan Gerard won’t mind picking up the check at the next “Steak Wednesday.” Not even if he’s paying for three this time around.

Gerard and Alex Ritthamel, who caddies for Gerard’s long-time friend Ben Griffin, started the tradition of eating red meat on Wednesdays at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches earlier this year. Whoever makes the most money at the previous tournament gets stuck with the bill.

“Ever since that event, either Ben or I have basically finished top-10 every week that we've done it, so we kind of kept it going just out of superstition,” Gerard said.

Ritthamel was on the hook at least two times earlier this year after his boss picked up his first and second PGA TOUR victories. But Gerard will be paying – gladly – next time after earning his breakthrough win at the Barracuda Championship two weeks ago.

Griffin is invited, too, though. After all, he played a part in his former University of North Carolina teammate’s win in Truckee, California.

Gerard was the second alternate at The Open Championship that week, but safely in the field at the Barracuda Championship. So, he texted Griffin and Ritthamel to ask their advice – should he stay or make the transatlantic flight to Royal Portrush with no guarantees of getting to play.

Griffin’s message was simple. “Nah, go win Tahoe.” And that’s just what Gerard did, picking up $720,000 and vaulting to No. 29 in the FedExCup. So did his buddy give him any kind of a thank-you gift?

“I've been looking on Zelle and Wells Fargo and Merrill accounts, nothing's hit yet,” Griffin said with a laugh before getting his dinner invitation during Gerard’s pre-tournament press conference.

Griffin, who had missed the cut at The Open earlier that week, was actually able to watch Gerard’s victory on TV.

“It was really fun to watch him grind down the stretch,” Griffin said. “I like the way he stayed aggressive in some big moments and was still attacking pins on par 5s, which is what you have to do on TOUR. And he obviously made some eagles and did the right things to lift up that trophy. It's so cool to see him have that success.

“A lot of really good players on TOUR got their first wins at … some of these opposite field events, and so it's just huge for his confidence. … .So, there's no doubt in my mind Ryan's going to continue on that same path and I've got to do my best to stay ahead of him.”

Gerard said Griffin’s success this year has spurred him on, as well. The two have known each other for about 15 years since they first played a junior golf tournament at Finley Golf Club at UNC. Griffin, who ranks seventh in the FedExCup, grew up in Chapel Hill, while Gerard is from Raleigh, which is about 10 miles away.

“(It’s) just kind of knowing that I have someone who's accomplished great things in my corner kind of like looking out for me,” Gerard said. “Gave me a hard time in college but that's what you're supposed to do, you're supposed to keep the freshmen in check. When you get out here and you have like one of your best friends playing practice rounds with you all the time and kind of rooting for you.

“It was awesome seeing him win multiple times early this year, and inspirational. You know, I can't let him get too far ahead of me in the win column, so we've got to rein it in here a little bit. Just to see what he's done all season has been awesome and I hope he continues doing it, and if he continues doing it, I'm going to keep on his heels pushing him.”

Gerard said he received about 600 text messages after his victory, and he’s still working through his social media feeds. A frequent texter, regardless of how well Gerard plays, is a certain former Tar Heel basketball coach “and he always signs it ‘Coach Roy Williams’ like I don’t know who it is.”

A year ago, Gerard was playing the Korn Ferry Tour, finishing 12th on the money list to regain his TOUR card. He enters the Wyndham Championship – where an 11-year-old Gerard watched Webb Simpson win his first tournament in 2011 – with a real chance of playing in the FedExCup finale at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, where the FedExCup champion earns $10 million.

To say it’s been a year of changing priorities for the 25-year-old would be an understatement.

“Coming off the Korn Ferry Tour from last year, I knew I wasn't going to have a ton of starts and you've got to play your way into more opportunities,” Gerard said. “As the season's progressed, I've played my way into those opportunities and the goalposts have kind of shifted from keeping your card to making the Playoffs to top-50 Signature Events to now I think getting to East Lake would be an amazing goal.

“There's a lot that comes with it, but I think the biggest thing is when you play at the highest level, you want to keep playing at the highest level. You want to play against the best players in the world and see how it stacks up and you want to be there. So, the only way to really get to the pinnacle is to beat the best. I think East Lake would be an amazing end to the season.

“I still have work to do to get there. We're going to go out and do our best these next few weeks and try and take care of business. There's no starting strokes this year, so it would be kind of cool for someone to just squeak in and give themselves a chance at that event.”