Professional golfer Grayson Murray tragically took his own life this weekend after withdrawing from the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge. His death sparked an immediate outpouring of reactions from PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, fellow competitors, and others at Colonial Country Club and beyond.
Monahan, who spoke with CBS Sports’ Amanda Balionis shortly after arriving in Fort Worth, Texas, expressed the profound impact of the loss. “There’s a brotherhood out here,” Monahan said. “There’s a family out here. And I just wanted to be here for our players, our caddies, our families that are here.” He described the PGA Tour community as tight-knit, noting the devastation visible in the faces of the players. Monahan also remembered Murray, 30, as not only a talented golfer but as a courageous person who worked hard to overcome challenges with anxiety, depression, and alcohol abuse.
As players at the Charles Schwab Challenge completed their third round, many were informed of Murray’s death. Some, like world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, were still processing the news. “It’s really hard to put into words how sad and tragic it is,” said Scheffler, who added that he was praying for Murray’s family. “I got to know Grayson a bit better over the last six months or so.”
Webb Simpson, who had known Murray since his youth, called the news a “huge shock” and recalled fond memories, including Murray’s victory in Simpson’s junior tournament years ago. “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.” Simpson also mentioned that Murray had recently embraced his faith, offering some comfort in knowing he was in a positive spiritual place before his death.
Peter Malnati, who played alongside Murray in the first two rounds, struggled to hold 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 shared how he had seen Murray at a high point in his career, playing excellent golf, and how he had heard from Wake Forest coach Jerry Haas that Murray was the most talented player ever to walk onto the campus.
Malnati summed up the sentiment shared by many: “It’s a huge loss for all of us on the PGA Tour, it’s a huge loss for our fans. In a time 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 expressed their condolences through social media.