Grayson Murray, who won his second PGA TOUR title at this year’s Sony Open in Hawaii, passed away on Saturday.
"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,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “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.”
Grief counselors were made available at the venues for this week’s PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry Tour events. Commissioner Monahan, who traveled from TOUR headquarters in Florida to Fort Worth, Texas, said more information will be shared when available.
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 his break in 2016 with 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. His top 10 finish at the BMW Charity Pro-Am further propelled his professional career. He concluded his season with a victory at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, finishing second on the Korn Ferry Tour money list and earning full status on the PGA TOUR for the 2016-17 season. The win came a week before his 23rd birthday.
Murray quickly made his mark on golf’s biggest stage as a rookie, winning the 2017 Barbasol Championship at 23 years old. His final-round 68 secured a one-shot victory and a two-year exemption through the 2019 PGA TOUR season. He finished 66th in the FedExCup and earned nearly $1.5 million.
Although Murray struggled in subsequent seasons, he found his game again on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023, notching victories at the Advent Health Championship in Kansas City and the Simmons Bank Open outside of Nashville. These successes placed him fourth on the tour’s points list, earning him a spot back on 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 and then sank a 40-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole to defeat Byeong Hun An and Keegan Bradley. This victory propelled him to a career-high 46th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
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