The golf world is mourning the death of Grayson Murray, who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 30. Murray, who won his second PGA Tour title this year at the Sony Open in Hawaii, leaves a huge void in professional golf. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan expressed his shock and sadness: “We are deeply saddened and heartbroken by the loss of Grayson Murray. The PGA Tour is a family, and when you lose a member of that family, it changes everything. We mourn the loss of Grayson and pray for comfort for his loved ones.” Monahan reported that he had personally contacted Grayson’s parents to offer his deepest condolences. Despite their pain, the parents asked that the Charles Schwab Challenge continue. “They were convinced that Grayson would have wanted us to continue. As hard as it will be, we want to honor their wishes,” Monahan continued. Grief Counselors have been provided at recent PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour events to offer support to players and staff. Commissioner Monahan traveled from the Florida headquarters to Fort Worth, Texas to be there in person and promised to release more information as it becomes available.
Statement Confirmes Suicide
Grayson Murray’s parents have disclosed in a statement, that the 30-year-old has committed suicide. Terry and Eric Murray write: “We have spent the last 24 hours trying to come to terms with the fact that our son is gone […] Life wasn’t always easy for Grayson, and although he took his own life, we know that he rests peacefully now.”
Grayson Murray: Already outstanding at an early age
Grayson Murray was an outstanding golfer from early on. At a young age, he won the Callaway Junior World Championships three times in a row (2006-08) and was the top-ranked golfer in his age group. At the age of 16, he was the second youngest player ever to make the cut on the Korn Ferry Tour. After stops at Wake Forest University, East Carolina University and Arizona State University, he received a sponsor invitation to a Korn Ferry Tour event near his hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina in 2016. His top-10 finish at this tournament, the Rex Hospital Open, helped him to further starts and ultimately to his breakthrough in professional golf. A win at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship earned him second place on the Korn Ferry Tour money list and secured his promotion to the PGA Tour for the 2016-17 season. As a rookie, Murray wasted no time winning the 2017 Barbasol Championship. He finished the season impressively with a 66th place finish in the FedExCup and earnings of almost 1.5 million dollars. However, the following years were difficult for Murray. It was not until 2023 that he regained his old form on the Korn Ferry Tour, winning two tournaments and thus securing his return to the PGA Tour. At the start of the 2024 season, he achieved his second victory on the tour at the Sony Open in Hawaii, where he defeated Byeong Hun An and Keegan Bradley in a play-off. After this victory, Murray spoke openly about his mental challenges: “My parents have been through hell with me over the last six years because I’ve struggled with some mental issues,” he said at the time. “It’s not easy for me and it’s not easy for the people who love me. They don’t like to see me down. They’ve always been my biggest supporters, as well as some friends, and that makes those moments extra special.”
Numerous players in mourning
Following the news of Murray’s death, numerous prominent golfers expressed their deepest sorrow. World number one Scottie Scheffler said: “The news hasn’t really sunk in yet, but I’m thinking of his family and praying for them. I can’t imagine how difficult this time must be for them.” Webb Simpson, who had known Murray since childhood, also expressed his dismay and fought back tears: “When you get news like this over the phone, you can’t realize it’s true at first. I am very grateful for the time I was able to spend with him before this terrible news. It really is devastating.” The English golfer and captain of the European Ryder Cup team, Luke Donald, wrote on social media: “It’s unbelievable that Grayson Murray has passed away. He asked me for advice on how to play Augusta a few months ago and I saw him at the PGA Championship last week. Life is truly precious. My condolences and prayers go out to his entire family.” Two-time major winner Bubba Watson said: “It’s very sad to hear of Grayson Murray’s passing. Life is so fragile. I just hugged you at the Masters and told you how proud I am of you. I’m grateful to have known you.”
