The Tragedy of Grayson Murray

Everything in golf was put into perspective at the weekend when it was announced that 30-year-old PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray had passed away. Tragically, his family revealed that the golfer had taken his own life.

Murray was born in Raleigh, California on October 1, 1993. He earned conditional status on the 2016 Web.com Tour by tying for 74th at qualifying school. A tie for tenth at the Rex Hospital Open, in which he competed on a sponsor exemption, gave him entry into the following tournament, where he tied for eighth and guaranteed himself full playing time for the rest of the season. He had four further top 10s, including a playoff defeat at the Digital Ally Open and finished 18th on the regular-season money list, earning a PGA Tour card for 2017.

On July 23, 2017, he earned his first PGA Tour victory by winning the Barbasol Championship. After losing his PGA Tour card he returned to the Korn Ferry Tour and in 2023 he won twice, regaining his place on the PGA Tour. And earlier this year he won the Sony Open in what was a hugely emotional victory. Afterwards he spoke about the problems he had with both his mental health and alcohol.

He had withdrawn from the Charles Schwab Challenge event on Friday after playing 16 holes of his second round. The following day, his heartbreaking death was announced.

Peter Malnati, who played alongside Murray last week, said: "This is going to be really hard. I didn’t know Grayson all that well, but I spent the last two days with him. And it’s funny, we get so worked up out here about, you know, a bad break here or a good break there. We’re so competitive out here and you want to beat each other - and then something like this happens and you realize we’re all just humans.

"It’s just a really hard day because you look at Grayson and you see in him someone who has visibly, outwardly struggled in the past and he’s been open about it. And you see him get his life back to a place where, y’know, he’s feeling good about things."

Malnati wept as he continued: "It’s a huge loss for all of us on the PGA Tour. It’s a huge loss for our fans. In a time like this you realise that as much as we want to beat each other, as much as you want to be competitive, we really are one big family. And we lost one today, and that’s terrible."

The news of Murray’s death was revealed by PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, who said: "We are devastated to learn - and are heartbroken to share - that Grayson Murray passed away this morning. I am at a loss for words. The PGA Tour is a family, and when you lose a member of your family, you are never the same. We mourn Grayson and pray for comfort for his loved ones."

Victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii moved Murray to a career-high ranking of 46 in the world.

Afterwards, Murray said he had been suffering with mental health issues.

“My parents have been through hell and back basically for the last six years with me fighting some mental stuff," he said at the time.

"It's not easy on me, and the people around me that love me, they don't like to see me down. They've been my number one supporters. There are a few friends as well that have been there and it makes these moments a lot more special."

He also said on social media in 2021 that he had been receiving treatment for alcoholism.

World number one Scottie Scheffler paid tribute. He said: "Obviously the news hasn't really sunk in quite yet, but I'm thinking about his family and praying hard for all of them.

"I can't imagine how difficult of a time this is. I got to know Grayson a bit better over the last six months or so and there's not really a way to put into words how sad and tragic it is, but I'm thinking about his family."

Webb Simpson said the pair had known each other since Murray was a child. "I'm super thankful for getting some good time with him before the bad news of today," he added.

"Truly devastating news that Grayson Murray has passed away," Luke Donald wrote on social media. "He asked me for some advice on how to play Augusta a few months ago, last week I saw him at the PGA Championship, life truly is precious. My condolences and prayers to his whole family that they may find some peace."

Two-time major winner Bubba Watson said: "Very sad to hear the news of Grayson Murray’s passing. Life is so fragile. I was just hugging you at the Masters, telling you how proud of you I am. Thankful to have known you."

After apparently having laid his demons to rest, it is just heartbreaking to learn that Murray remained such a troubled soul. It just goes to prove that there are far more important things in life than winning golf tournaments and earning obscene amounts of money. For me, his victory at the Sony Open was the feel-good story of 2024. It is tragic that it has ended this way.