The family of professional golfer Grayson Murray said that he died by suicide just one day after withdrawing from the Charles Schwab Challenge.
Murray, a two-time PGA Tour winner, died on Saturday. He was 30-years-old.
His parents, Terry and Eric Murray, said trying to process the fact that their son was gone was “surreal” and a “nightmare.”
“We have spent the last 24 hours trying to come to terms with the fact that our son is gone,” they wrote in a statement on Sunday. “It’s surreal that we not only have to admit it to ourselves, but that we also have to acknowledge it to the world. It’s a nightmare.”
They also acknowledged that Murray struggled with both substance abuse and mental health issues, saying “life wasn’t always easy for Grayson, and although he took his own life, we know he rests peacefully now.”
Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour Commissioner, said he was “at a loss for words” over the young golfer’s death.
“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,” he said.
His management company, GSE Worldwide, confirmed the death and said it was heartbroken.
“We will hold off on commenting until we learn further details, but out heart aches for his family, his friends and all who loved him during this very difficult time,” GSE said in a statement.
Jay Green, Murray’s caddie, gave a statement to Golf Channel’s Bentley Romine mourning the loss of his friend: “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.”
Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked golfer, said he had started getting to know Murray more in the last year and that his death still felt unreal.
“Obviously, the news hasn’t really sunk in quite yet, but I’m thinking about his family and praying hard for all of them, Scheffler said. “I can’t imagine how difficult of a time this is. I got to know Grayson a bit better over the last six months or so. There’s not really a way to put into words how sad and tragic it is, but I’m thinking about his family.”
Murray earned his PGA Tour card in 2017, and later won two tournaments during on the tour, including the Barbasol Championship during his debut year.
Before joining the tour, Murray played collegiate golf at Wake Forest, East Carolina and Arizona State. He began golfing professionally in 2015 and joined the Web.com Tour in 2016.
Murray played in both the Masters and the PGA Championship this year. He finished 51st in the Masters and then tied for 43rd place at the PGA Championship last week, according to Bleacher Report.
In January, he won the Sony Open in Hawaii, hitting wedge to three feet for birdie on the final hole to get into a playoff and winning it with a 40-foot putt.
After his victory, Murray spoke about his struggles with anxiety and depression. He also said he had sought treatment for alcohol abuse and that he’d been sober for several months.
His parents said that through all of his personal anguish and struggles, he was always loved by family, friends, and golf fans worldwide.
“We have so many questions that have no answers,” his parents wrote in a statement. “But one. Was Grayson loved? The answer is yes. By us, his brother Cameron, his sister Erica, all of his extended family, by his friends, by his fellow players and — it seems — by many of you who are reading this. He was loved and he will be missed.”
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
