Golf world’s heartbreaking response to Grayson Murray’s shock dying

Murray, who was simply 30 years previous, took the weird step of withdrawing from the second spherical of this week’s Charles Schwab Problem occasion in Texas on Friday (Saturday AEST) with two holes remaining.

He was in competition to make the minimize on the time and reportedly cited an sickness for his withdrawal, with the PGA Tour then saying his dying on Sunday Australian time.

Born in North Carolina, Murray had been open throughout his profession about his battles with melancholy and alcohol, however appeared to have his life on observe when he received the profitable Sony Open in Hawaii in January.

“A whole lot of issues are going proper in my life proper now and I’m at peace,” he stated after profitable a three-way playoff and the $2.25 million first prize.

Simply over 4 months later, a person who was the 58th-ranked golfer on the earth has died, with a variety of individuals related to the game reacting with shock and dismay on the information.

Fellow American Peter Malnati, who performed alongside Murray within the opening two rounds on the Colonial Nation Membership in Texas, gave a heartwrenching interview to CBS Sports activities upon listening to the information.

“That is going to be actually arduous,” Malnati stated by way of tears in an interview you possibly can see within the video participant above.

“I didn’t know Grayson all that properly, however I spent the previous few days with him.

“It’s so humorous… we get so labored up out right here a few dangerous break right here or a very good break there.

“You recognize, we’re so aggressive, so aggressive out right here. All of us wish to beat one another after which one thing like this occurs and also you realise we’re all simply people.

“That is only a actually, actually arduous day since you have a look at Grayson and also you see in him somebody who has visibly, outwardly struggled previously and he’s been open about it.

“And also you see him get his life again to a spot the place he’s feeling good about issues. It’s simply so unhappy.

“I used to be with him yesterday and he was enjoying nice. Like his recreation is so good, he’s so good at golf.”

A vastly gifted junior golfer, Murray bounced between the PGA and secondary Korn Ferry Excursions throughout his profession, profitable the 2017 Barbasol Championships as a PGA rookie.

Murray suffered a significant setback in October 2022 when he and his then-caddie Doug Schwimmer had been injured in a scooter accident on the Bermuda Championship, with each colliding head on with a automotive coming within the different course.

Murray suffered main accidents, knocked unconscious and reportedly requiring 50 stitches, later crediting a helmet with saving his life.

He received 3 times on the Korn Ferry Tour, together with two victories in 2023 to earn his PGA Tour card earlier than his victory in Hawaii acquired his 2024 season off to an ideal begin.

Malnati advised a narrative in his interview about Murray’s standing when he was a younger up-and-coming golfer.

“Possibly if I inform a narrative about him, that’ll assist me get some composure,” he stated.

“I feel it is a actually telling story. He’ll be the primary to confess that faculty wasn’t actual good for him, it didn’t work out nice.

“He spent one semester at Wake Forest and Jerry Haas (a legendary 25-year coach at Wake Forest College) was his coach there.

“Jerry coached Invoice (Haas), he coached Webb Simpson, he coached (Will) Zalatoris amongst many others.

“I acquired to speak to Jerry a handful of years in the past, I used to be at their apply facility. He advised me ‘I had Invoice come by way of right here, I had Webb. However essentially the most gifted participant that ever set foot on this campus I solely acquired to maintain for one semester and that was Grayson Murray’.

“Grayson put that expertise on show this yr and it was actually, actually enjoyable to see.

“Simply to know that he’s not going to be doing it anymore. It’s an enormous loss for all of us on the PGA tour, for all our followers.

“It’s instances like this that you simply realise that as a lot as we wish to beat one another, as a lot as we wish to be aggressive, we’re one massive household and we misplaced one immediately. That’s horrible.”

The Tour supplied to instantly droop this week’s match, however Murray’s household turned that down, stating he would have wished the occasion to proceed.

Among the most devastating response got here from Murray’s former caddie Kip Henley, who carried his bag between Might and November final yr in a profitable partnership earlier than the caddie was sacked in a transfer that shocked {golfing} circles.

“One thing was telling me to achieve out to the child the previous few days and I didn’t,” Henley wrote in a publish on X.

“100 folks talked about him to me for some motive. I ought to have mended our fences means higher and so unhappy I didn’t.

“Talking and dealing issues out will ALWAYS be the very best for ourselves and particularly others.”

In one other tweet, Henley wrote merely: “Rattling it Grayson.”

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson was amongst people who expressed their disappointment.

“Very unhappy to listen to the information of Grayson Murray’s passing immediately,” Watson wrote. “Life is so fragile… I used to be simply hugging you on the Masters, telling you the way happy with you I’m. Grateful to have recognized you. My deepest condolences to his household and associates throughout this tough time. He will probably be missed.”

Golfer Patrick Sullivan tweeted: “Unhappy to listen to concerning the passing of Grayson Murray. I didn’t know him in any respect, however he was one of many individuals who reached out to me once I was struggling. I’ll at all times do not forget that. RIP.”

Ex-professional and famous golf commentator Smylie Kaufman wrote: “I’m simply heartbroken listening to concerning the passing of Grayson Murray. He was a pal to me at a few of my lowest factors in my profession and I’ll at all times be appreciative of that. I’ll miss him very a lot however I do know he’s in good palms now. “

The account of golf gear and attire firm Titleist wrote: “We’re heartbroken to study concerning the sudden lack of Grayson Murray. Our deepest condolences to his household, associates and your entire PGA TOUR group throughout this impossibly tough time. Relaxation in peace, Grayson.”

Tour professional Webb Simpson, who knew Murray since he was a baby, was interviewed on the Charles Schwab match.

“Grayson and I, now we have an extended historical past,” an emotional Simpson stated.

“I feel I first met Grayson at my dwelling membership when Grayson was in all probability eight years previous, possibly 9.

“And he was the primary winner of the Webb Simpson Problem junior match I’ve had for 14 years.

“Once you hear information like that over the cellphone, you don’t assume it’s actual at first.”

Simpson needed to pause earlier than persevering with, saying: “You hear the emotion coming from our swing coach (Ted Kiegiel) and you then realise it’s actual.

“However I do know that his mum was with him throughout (this month’s) Wells Fargo Championship they usually had been hanging out collectively and I like these two days we acquired collectively.

“I’m tremendous grateful for getting some good time with him.”

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan additionally gave a press convention on the Charles Schwab Match after the information had been introduced.

Again in 2021 in a tweet that was later deleted, Murray expressed his disappointment that the Tour hadn’t supplied him extra assist throughout his battles with alcohol.

“The PGA Tour didn’t pressure me to drink,” Murray wrote. “However the PGA Tour by no means gave me assist. In my 5 years of expertise of being on tour not as soon as have I ever had a request been acknowledged by the commissioner or the PAC (Participant Advisory Council) aside from ‘we’ll get again to you’.

“I hope not solely the PGA Tour steps up within the areas they should step up however I additionally hope individuals are held accountable of their roles they serve.”

Monahan was requested about that tweet on Sunday.

“When Grayson stated that, I referred to as him straight away and over the past a number of years, I spent loads of time with him,” Monahan stated.

“I wished to grasp what we might do in his estimation, in his opinion, to assist all people else out right here and we made numerous developments alongside these strains and it’s turn out to be an actual level of focus and emphasis.

“We’re happy with the applications now we have in place to assist everybody out right here.

“I’m devastated by Grayson’s loss, clearly, the conversations I had with him, significantly the final yr, I discovered an terrible lot type him.

“He was very open and clear with me and most significantly, I feel again to his speaking about how he was occupied with actual property and he’d turn out to be occupied with issues he wasn’t occupied with earlier than.

“He talked concerning the peace he had in his life. Every part he talked about after he received the Sony Open … I discovered inspiration in that personally and I discovered inspiration in that as a frontrunner of this Tour.”

Murray was engaged to fiancee Christian Ritchie, who he proposed to in December final yr.