Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, a day after withdrawing from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
There were no immediate details about the circumstances of his death, only shock and grief from the PGA Tour and its management team.
“I have no words,” PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said. “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.”
His management company, GSE Worldwide, confirmed the death and said it was heartbroken.
“We will not comment until we know more details, but our hearts ache for his family, his friends and everyone who loved him during this very difficult time,” GSE said in a statement.
Monahan said he spoke to Murray’s parents to offer his condolences and asked him to continue the tournament in Fort Worth, Texas.
He said there will be grief counselors at the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour event in Knoxville, Tennessee. Monahan headed to Texas and then appeared on Keynote USA as he finished the third round.
“Seeing the devastation on the faces of every player that comes in is really hard to watch and really profound,” Monahan said. “Grayson was an extraordinary player, but he was a very brave man. “I’ve always loved that about him.”
Murray, who had dealt with alcohol and mental health issues in the past, made a big turnaround this year and won the Sony Open, hitting a 3-foot wedge for birdie on the final hole to enter a playoff and win it with a 40-putt standing.
He also won the Barbasol Championship in 2017.
“It was a huge shock. My heart sank,” said Webb Simpson, who learned of Murray’s death shortly before starting at Colonial. He said Murray was his first junior tournament winner and that they shared the same swing coach when they were juniors.
“I hate him so much,” Simpson said. “I will miss it. I am grateful that he was on the scene with his faith before it happened this morning.”
Murray was ranked 58th in the world after tying for 43rd at the PGA Championship last week in Valhalla. He also made the cut in his Masters debut, finishing 51st, and was in the field for the US Open next month at Pinehurst No. 2.
FILE -Grayson Murray holds the trophy after winning the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning, May 25, 2024, at age 30, one day after retiring from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial (Keynote USA Photo/Matt York, File)
FILE -Grayson Murray watches his tee shot on the third hole during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow Club on Sunday, August 13, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning, May 25, 2024 at age 30, one day after withdrawing from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial. (Keynote USA Photo/Chuck Burton, File)
FILE -Grayson Murray celebrates winning the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning, May 25, 2024, at age 30, one day after retiring from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial. (Keynote USA Photo/Matt York, File)
Murray, who grew up in North Carolina, was among the most talented young people in the country. He won the prestigious World Junior Championships in San Diego three years in a row and earned the Arnold Palmer Scholarship at Wake Forest.
He ended up attending three colleges, lastly Arizona State, and won as a 22-year-old PGA Tour rookie at the Barbasol Championship.
Murray said in January that he had been sober for eight months, was engaged to be married, had converted to Christianity and felt his best golf was ahead of him. He was appointed to the 16-member Player Advisory Council.
“My story is not over. “I think this is just beginning,” Murray said in Hawaii. “I hope I can inspire a lot of people who have their own problems in the future.”
Murray said he used to drink during tournament weeks when he was a rookie because he knew he was talented and felt invincible. He also drew attention to himself through social media, openly criticizing other players and getting into a social media feud with Kevin Na over Na’s reputation as a slow player.
But he felt like he had turned the corner when he sought help: letting others fight for him, that’s how he explained it this year.
FILE -Grayson Murray hits from the 18th tee during the first round of the PGA Zurich Classic golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, Louisiana, Thursday, April 20, 2023. Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday May 25, 2024 at age 30, one day after retiring from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial. (Keynote USA Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
Grayson Murray hits from the fairway on the 10th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Valhalla Golf Club, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Louisville, Kentucky. (Keynote USA Photo/Matt York)
“It took me a long time to get to this point,” Murray said in January. “That was seven years ago, more than seven years ago. I’m a different man now. He wouldn’t be in this position today if he hadn’t given up that drink eight months ago.”
Peter Malnati played with Murray at Colonial. He offered to go on the Keynote USA broadcast Saturday afternoon and immediately broke down trying to talk about it.
“It’s a big loss for all of us on the PGA Tour,” Malnati said. “As much as we want to beat each other, we are a big family and today we lost one. It’s awful.”
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This story has been corrected to show that Murray won the Barbasol Championship in 2017, not last year.
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