Professional golfer Grayson Murray tragically took his own life this past weekend after withdrawing from the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge. His death prompted an outpouring of reactions from PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, fellow players, and others at Colonial Country Club and beyond.
Monahan, speaking to CBS Sports’ Amanda Balionis shortly after arriving in Fort Worth, Texas, emphasized the profound impact of the loss. “There’s a brotherhood out here,” Monahan remarked. “There’s a family out here. And I just wanted to be here for our players, caddies, and the families that are here.” He described the PGA Tour community as tightly-knit and noted the visible devastation on the players’ faces. Monahan also remembered Murray, 30, not just as a talented golfer, but as a brave individual who worked hard to overcome struggles with anxiety, depression, and alcohol addiction.
As players at the Charles Schwab Challenge continued their third round, many learned of Murray’s death. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, still processing the news, called it “really hard to put into words how sad and tragic it is” and expressed his prayers for Murray’s family. “I got to know Grayson a bit better over the last six months or so,” he added.
Webb Simpson, who had known Murray since his youth, described the news as a “huge shock” and fondly remembered Murray’s victory in Simpson’s junior tournament years earlier. “I just played with him at Charlotte the first two days,” Simpson shared. “His game looked good. I just hate it. I hate it so much.” He also mentioned that Murray had recently found comfort in his faith, offering some solace in knowing he was in a good spiritual place before his passing.
Peter Malnati, who played alongside Murray in the first two rounds, fought back tears during his interview. “We’re so competitive out here… then something like this happens, and you realize, ‘We’re all just humans,'” Malnati reflected. He recalled seeing Murray at the peak of his career, playing excellent golf, and hearing from Wake Forest coach Jerry Haas that Murray was the most talented player ever to step onto the campus.
Malnati summed up the feelings of many: “It’s a huge loss for all of us on the PGA Tour, it’s a huge loss for our fans. In times like this, you realize that as much as we want to beat each other… we’re one big family. And we lost one today, and that’s terrible.” Other golfers, including Justin Thomas, Luke Donald, and Bubba Watson, also shared their condolences on social media.