Sad news came during the PGA Tour-Charles Schwab Challenge this weekend. 30-year-old PGA Tour player Grayson Murray died early on Saturday (the third round) local time after withdrawing from the tournament due to illness.

Murray is a rising star in the American golf scene in recent years. After entering the PGA Tour Level 1, the world's highest level golf league, in 2017, he won the PGA Tour Barbasso Championship by 1 stroke in June of this year. Advantages: Winning his first PGA Tour title. In January this year, he won the second title of his PGA Tour career at the PGA Tour Sony Open. He is currently ranked 58th in the world. Industry insiders generally believe that he will soon be among the top 50 in the world.

In this blog,Galileo sports is putting on its detective hat and diving deep into the facts behind the story of the man behind the champion.

Murray's golf career

Grayson Murray was born on October 1, 1993 in North Carolina, USA. He has shown strong golf talent since his amateur days. From 2006 to 2008, he won the Callaway Junior Championship three times in a row and was the number one junior golfer in the country in his age group. While attending Leesville Road High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, he helped the school win team and individual state championships.

In college, he first attended Wake Forest University and transferred to East Carolina University after one semester. Then due to differences with the coach, he left the ECU golf team after eight weeks. In 2014, he began playing for Arizona State University.

After passing the Q-School exam in 74th place, Murray qualified for the 2016 Web.com Tour (now the Korn Ferry Tour). Then at the Rex Hospital Open held in his hometown of North Carolina, he participated as a sponsor's wild card. After winning T8, he guaranteed his qualification for the following season.

Murray followed that up with four top-10 finishes in the second level, including a one-stroke victory over Cameron Smith at the National Children's Hospital Championship. In the end, he ranked 18th on the regular season money list and obtained PGA Tour membership in 2017.

In his rookie year on the PGA Tour, on July 23, 2017, Grayson Murray won his first PGA Tour victory at the Barbasol Championship.
But then, he experienced a long championship drought, so much so that he lost his PGA Tour membership and returned to the second level competition. In the 2023 season, he won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour, which allowed him to return to the PGA Tour lineup again. At the beginning of this season, he won the Sony Open with a 38-foot birdie on the first extra hole. This was his second PGA Tour victory after seven years.

The week of his death, Murray was still competing in the PGA Tour-Charles Schwab Challenge. At the Colonial Golf Course, Murray scored 68 (-2) in the first round. In the second round, he scored two consecutive shots on holes 14-16. Breaking the attack, the total score came to +2. With 2 holes left to play, he retired due to injury. Early the next morning, the sad news came that he had passed away.
 

Tough times with ups and downs

Murray has struggled with alcoholism and depression for years and has not been shy about admitting it to the public. Murray, 21, was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder after the 2014 Southern Amateur Championship.

In 2021, Murray revealed on social media that he was receiving treatment for alcoholism. After winning the Sony Open in January, he opened up about his mental issues.

"I used to drink during tournament weeks, it was my way of venting. When I came here at the age of 22 and won in my rookie year, I felt like I was invincible." Murray said after winning the Sony Open at the beginning of the year. "After that victory, I was hungover for three days. Winning in my rookie season was the best and worst thing that ever happened to me." After winning the PGA Tour Level 2 rookie year in 2016, Mu Ray has been in alcohol rehab.
After winning the Sony Open in Hawaii, Murray spoke emotionally about his struggles with mental issues and his search for happiness, admitting he had considered suicide.

"Some days I don't want to get out of bed. I feel like a failure. I always see myself as a failure. I think I have a lot of talent and all I'm doing is wasting it." When I was on tour, I was unprepared for my career.
"Yeah, obviously I struggle with anxiety, I struggle with depression. A lot of it stems from drinking. I have a hard time comparing myself to others and having a hard time believing in myself. I'm tired of fighting it alone, One day I asked for help and that's when my life changed.

"I feel disappointed about it because I feel like I have similar talent to the guys who came out the same year as me, or a year before me, but they succeeded and I didn't. I feel disappointed. "There's also a bit of jealousy. I'm jealous of those who came before me and succeeded because I know I'm just as good as them."
In January this year, he said that he had been sober since the beginning of 2023. "It took me a long time to get to this point. That was seven years ago, more than seven years ago. I'm a different person now. If I hadn't put down that drink eight months ago, I wouldn't be today's me."

Part of the reason he put down his glass was due to a motorcycle accident he had during the late 2022 PGA Tour-Bermuda Championship week, in which he nearly died.

Murray hit an oncoming vehicle and required 50 stitches, half of which were in his face. "I should have died," he said. "If I hadn't had my helmet on, I might have been dead. This should have been my lowest point, but I had to keep going. I felt like I was still invincible."
"I stayed in a rehab center for a month. I felt God's care, and I believe he is definitely caring for me now." Murray is a Christian.
"My story isn't over yet, I think it's just the beginning. I hope I can inspire a lot of people with problems like mine." When he won the Sony, Murray was still looking forward to his future life.

"My life is very good now, I have a beautiful fiancée. I have great parents. I have beautiful nephews and siblings." Murray's fiancée is named Christiana Ricci, and the two met in 2021 Met at the American Express Championship in California. They live in Florida and had planned to get married in Pinehurst, North Carolina, later this year.
"I'm 30 years old and I think from now on I can be the golfer I've always wanted to be. I hope everyone watching at home can take a little inspiration from me. If I can help just one person, it's all worth it ”

Murray's death shocks high circles

Murray's death shocked the golf world, and the PGA Tour considered postponing the Charles Schwab Challenge. However, his parents insisted the game go ahead as scheduled because that's what their son wanted.
"We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the passing of PGA Tour player Grayson Murray this morning," PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement on Saturday. Sad. I have nothing to say."
"I contacted Grayson's parents to offer them my deepest condolences. During that conversation, they asked that we continue to play. They firmly believe that Grayson would have wanted us to do so. As difficult as it is, we want to respect their wishes. "

In addition, many players expressed their regret for Murray's death on social platforms.
“The news of Grayson Murray’s death was such a shock. A few months ago he asked me for some advice on how to play at Augusta National and I saw him at the PGA Championship last week and life really So precious. My condolences and prayers to his family that they can find some peace - Luke Donald

“In recent weeks, I had the opportunity to play a few rounds of golf with Grayson at Quail Hollow and Valhalla. I will always remember this and use it to remind myself that you never know what people will encounter in life What challenges and no telling how they digested them. May Grayson rest in peace and may your family and friends receive love and strength." - Justin Rose "I have no words to say after hearing the news about Grayson. He has been through so many ups and downs to get to where he is today. My condolences and deepest sympathies go out to his family and those closest to him." - Justin Thomas.

"Obviously, I haven't fully come to terms with the news, but I'm thinking of his family and praying for all of them." World No. 1 Scotty Scheffler said: "I can't imagine what a difficult time this is. "I have learned so much about Grayson over the past six months that I truly cannot express my sadness and tragedy."
 
As Ross said, Murray's death reminds us that "you never know what challenges people encounter in life, nor how they digest them." May everyone be treated gently by the world, and may Mu RIP Ray.