Grayson Murray, 1993-2024. Image courtesy PGA Tour/X.
From a Correspondent
Grayson Murray, who won his second PGA Tour title at this year’s Sony Open in Hawaii, passed away on Saturday.
The 30-year-old had withdrawn from the ongoing Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, with two holes left to play in his second round on Friday.
“We were devastated to learn – and are heartbroken to share – that PGA Tour player Grayson Murray passed away this morning. I am at a loss for words,” 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.
“I reached out to Grayson’s parents to offer our deepest condolences, and during that conversation, they asked that we continue with tournament play,” commissioner Monahan continued.
“They were adamant that Grayson would want us to do so. As difficult as it will be, we want to respect their wishes.”
Young achiever
Murray, 30, was a standout golfer from his youth. He won three consecutive Callaway Junior World Championships (2006-08) and was the top-ranked golfer in his age group. He made his first cut on the Korn Ferry Tour at age 16, becoming the second-youngest player ever to do so.
After stints at Wake Forest University, East Carolina University and Arizona State University, he got the break he needed in 2016 when he was given a sponsor exemption into the Korn Ferry Tour event near his hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina.
He finished inside the top 10 at that event, the Rex Hospital Open, which qualified him for another start. When he posted another top 10 at the BMW Charity Pro-Am, his professional career took off.
He concluded his season with a victory at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship to finish second on the Korn Ferry Tour money list and earn full status on the PGA Tour for the 2016-17 season. The win came a week before his 23rd birthday.
Quick start
Murray wasted little time establishing himself on golf’s biggest stage as a rookie. He won the 2017 Barbasol Championship while still just 23 years old.
His final-round 68 not only secured a one-shot victory, but also solidified a two-year exemption through the 2019 season. He finished 66th in the FedEx Cup and earned nearly $1.5 million.
Grayson struggled for the next few seasons. In 2023, he found his game again on the Korn Ferry Tour; he notched two victories – the Advent Health Championship in Kansas City and the Simmons Bank Open outside of Nashville – to finish fourth on that tour’s points list and earn a spot back onto the PGA TOUR for the following season.
Murray opened the 2024 season with a playoff victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He made a clutch up and down on the 72nd hole for a birdie to force a playoff.
He then sank a 40-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole to defeat Byeong Hun An and Keegan Bradley. Murray reached a career-high 46th in the Official World Golf Ranking after that victory. (courtesy pgatour.com)
Also read: Patience paid despite the winless years, reveals Schauffele
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