Grayson Murray, a two-time PGA Tour winner, has died on Saturday.
The PGA Tour announced during the third round of the Charles Schwab Challenge. He withdrew from the Fort Worth, TX., event with two holes to play on Friday, citing an illness.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan issued a memo to the membership.
“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,” 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.”
Devastating news as PGA Tour announces that Grayson Murray has died. Murray won his second PGA Tour event back in January at the Sony Open. He was just 30 years old. pic.twitter.com/fKljh7wSbn
— Brentley Romine (@BrentleyGC) May 25, 2024
“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.”
Monahan also stated that grief counselors will be at the venues for the week at the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour events. The commissioner is also en route to the Charles Schwab Challenge and noted that more information will be shared as it can be.
His caddie, Jay Green, also provided a statement after the news broke on Saturday afternoon.
“Grayson was the absolute best,” he texted Brentley Romine. “Not only was he an incredible, thoughtful and generous boss, he was an even better friend. He truly would do anything for anyone. He has the best family and my heart goes out to them. We will all miss him deeply.”
His caddie Jay Green via text:
“Grayson was the absolute best. Not only was he an incredible, thoughtful and generous boss, he was an even better friend. He truly would do anything for anyone. He has the best family, and my heart goes out to them. We will all miss him deeply.”
— Brentley Romine (@BrentleyGC) May 25, 2024
The Raleigh native had stints with Wake Forest University, East Carolina University, and Arizona State University during college. However, Murray got a break when he received a sponsor exemption for the Korn Ferry Tour event near his hometown of Raleigh.
He finished inside the Top 10 that week, which qualified him for the next event when he posted another top 10 at the BMW Charity Open.
Murray won his first PGA Tour title as a rookie in 2017. He won his second career event in Hawaii at the Sony Open earlier this year, winning in a playoff. Murray sank a 40-foot birdie putt on the 73rd hole to defeat Byeong Hun An and Keegan Bradley.
That victory shot him up to No. 46 in the Official Golf Rankings.
From there, Murray’s career took off. It did have ebbs and flows, and Murray openly discussed his battle with alcohol, anxiety and depression. However, his win in Hawaii put his career on the rise. He spoke so optimistically about his future and his rediscovered faith. Murray was also engaged and set to marry Christiana Ritchie, whom he met in 2021.
Murray had made the cut in the first two majors of the year. At The Masters, he finished 51st and T43 last week at the PGA Championship.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
