PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray passes away at 30

Murray, whose other PGA Tour victory came seven years ago at the 2017 Barbasol Championship, was open about his struggles with substance abuse disorder throughout his professional career. He took time away from the game in 2021 after entering a treatment facility for help with alcohol. His 2022 season was also interrupted as he dealt with the challenges of sobriety.

But 2023 and early 2024 seemed like a new chapter for Murray. He won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour, earning back his PGA Tour card for 2024 — and punctuated that accomplishment by winning in his first start back as a Tour member in Hawaii.

At the Sony Open, he leveled with reporters on his past struggles and his outlook on life.

“I’ve obviously been vocal about the alcohol use in the past. I’m over eight months sober now,” he said at Waialae that week. “I have a beautiful fiancée that I love so much and who is so supportive of me, and my parents are so supportive of me. My caddie, Jay [Green], is one of my biggest cheerleaders. Just makes everything so easy when I got out here inside the ropes when everyone is just in my circle just really pulling for me.”

After the win, Murray had posted some up and down finishes on the PGA Tour; he’d missed four cuts this season but also ranked 38th in the FedEx Cup standings, a career best. In his last two starts, he finished T10 at the Wells Fargo Championship and made the cut at the PGA Championship — just his fifth career major — shooting 67 on Sunday at Valhalla to finish T43.

He opened with a two-under 68 at Colonial for this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge but was five over for his second round after making three straight bogeys before telling his playing partners he was withdrawing. Murray was just one off the eventual cutline when he decided to withdraw.

“It’s absolutely hard to wrap my mind around,” CBS Analyst Trevor Immelman, a PGA Tour member, said as the network began its third round coverage of the Charles Schwab. “Just such a sad, sad day for the PGA Tour membership. His fellow competitors are out there, still playing right now. They’re going to be learning this as they are finishing their rounds. Trying to understand this a little better.

“Gosh, what a tough moment this is. What a tough day this is.”

According to CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz, the PGA Tour did offer to postpone play in Fort Worth, but the family declined.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.