File photo of Grayson Murray
Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports/Reuters File photo
Grayson Murray, the professional golfer who won two PGA Tour titles and was outspoken about his battles with depression and alcohol, died Saturday. He was 30.
His death was confirmed in a statement by the PGA Tour, which did not give a cause.
"The PGA Tour is a family, and when you lose a member of your family, you are never the same," the tour commissioner, Jay Monahan, said in the statement.
After a successful 40-foot putt to win the Sony Open in Hawaii in January, Murray rose to 46th in the Official World Golf Ranking, a career high. The event marked the height of a comeback run after several volatile years as Murray struggled with his mental health.
In a news conference after winning the Sony Open, Murray said that for a time he would drink during tournament weeks.
"Best thing and worst thing that ever happened to me was winning my rookie year, but also feeling like I was invincible," he said. "I'm a different man now, and I would not be in this position right now, today, if I didn't put that drink down eight months ago."
He added that he had attended rehabilitation for a month, and said, "I hope I can inspire a lot of people going forward that have their own issues."
Murray had failed to gain PGA status for several months last year after a series of off-course events mirrored a decline in his play.
A 2021 alcohol-related incident at a hotel bar in Hawaii led to his suspension from the PGA. Afterward, he posted to social media.
"Why was I drunk?" he wrote, adding that he was as an "alcoholic that hates everything to do with the PGA Tour life and that's my scapegoat."
Golfer Phil Mickelson, who has struggled with a gambling addiction, responded at the time on social media, saying "If I can help in any way I'd be happy to."
This year, Murray played well enough to qualify for the Masters Tournament and PGA Championship. On Friday, he withdrew from the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, citing an illness.
Grayson Murray was born on Oct. 1, 1993, in Raleigh, North Carolina, according to an ESPN biography. A list of survivors was not immediately available.
He attended Wake Forest, East Carolina and Arizona State universities, and at 16 became the second-youngest player to enter the Korn Ferry Tour, according to the PGA.
He continued to gain prominence, playing in the U.S. Open at age 19 and clinching a win at the 2017 Barbasol Championship, sinking a 5-foot putt for a one-stroke victory.
After losing his PGA Tour card for the 2023 season, and following an angry outburst directed at Monahan, he seemed to have found his swing again. He won two Korn Ferry Tour tournaments last year, regaining his PGA eligibility, and finished in the top 10 at two events.