The PGA Tour announced that Grayson Murray died on Saturday.
David Cannon / Getty Images
The PGA Tour suffered a sudden and unexpected loss on Saturday.
In a letter to PGA Tour membership, Commissioner Jay Monahan announced that Grayson Murray, a two-time winner earlier this season at the Sony Open in January, died Saturday morning. He was 30 years old.
Murray was in the field at this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, but withdrew after the 16th hole of his second round, citing illness.
Here is Monahan’s statement in full:
“We are saddened to learn – and saddened to share – that PGA TOUR player 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’re not the same. We mourn for Grayson and pray for comfort for his loved ones.
“I reached out to Grayson’s parents to express my condolences, and during that conversation they asked us to continue with the competition. They insisted that Grayson would want us to do so. Although it will be difficult, we want to respect their wishes.
“The PGA Tour has grief counselors available at both tournament venues, as well as those off the course. On my way to Ft. It’s worth it and we’ll share more information when we can. “
Murray, whose other PGA Tour victory came seven years ago at the 2017 Barbasol tournament, has been open about his struggle with substance abuse throughout his professional career. He took time off from the game in 2021 after checking into a treatment center to get help for alcoholism. His 2022 season was also disrupted as he faced mental challenges.
But 2023 and early 2024 proved to be a new chapter for Murray. He won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour, earned his 2024 PGA Tour card – and backed that up with a win in his first start as a Tour member in Hawaii.
At the Sony Open, he weighed in with reporters about his past struggles and his outlook on life.
“It is clear that I have talked about the use of alcohol before. Now I’m over eight months,” he said in Waialae that week. “I have a beautiful fiancee whom I love and support, my parents also support me. My friend, Jay [Green], is one of my biggest fans. It just makes everything so much easier when I’m out here inside the ropes when everyone in my circle is really pulling for me. “
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After the win, Murray had posted other top and bottom finishes on the PGA Tour; he missed four times this season but was also ranked 38th in the FedEx Cup standings, a career best. In his last two starts, he finished T10 at the Wells Fargo and reached the PGA Championship – just his fifth major – shooting a 67 Sunday at Valhalla to finish T43.
He opened with a two-under 68 at Colonial in this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge but finished five over in his second round after making three consecutive bogeys before telling his teammates he was withdrawing. Murray was just one of the latest to drop out when he decided to retire.
“It’s really hard to wrap my mind around it,” said CBS analyst Trevor Immelman, a member of the PGA Tour, as the network began coverage of Charles Schwab’s third round. “It’s a sad, sad day for PGA Tour membership. Some of his competitors are there, they are still playing. They will be reading this as they complete their rounds. Trying to understand this better.
“Wow, what a difficult time this is. What a difficult day this is.”
According to Jim Nantz of CBS Sports, the PGA Tour offered to postpone the match in Fort Worth, but the family declined.
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