Grayson Murray, who took his own life at 30 on Saturday morning, had been open about his struggles with alcoholism and mental illness. A two-time PGA Tour winner, he struggled with depression and substance abuse for years, but recently experienced a career resurgence.
After securing two Korn Ferry victories in 2023 to requalify for his PGA Tour card, he triumphed at the Sony Open in January. This marked his first victory in nearly a decade.
“It’s not easy,” Murray admitted at a PGA Tour news conference at the time. “I wanted to give up a lot of times. Give up on myself, give up on the game of golf, give up on life, at times.”
He credited his faith for the victory and thanked his fiancée, Christiana Ritchie for her unwavering support during challenging times.
“When you get tired of fighting, let someone else fight for you,” he said “I hope everyone at home watching can get a little inspiration from it. If I can just help one person, that’s all it takes … I knew today was not going to change my life, but it did change my career, and I’m excited.”
Grayson Murray Also Credited His Parents for His Recent Success
Murray has previously opened up about his battles with depression and alcoholism. After winning the Korn Ferry Tour’s AdventHealth Championship, his first in six years, he credited his parents’ unwavering support for his success.
“Six years is a long drought, far longer than I wanted,” Murray explained. “Sometimes your highs are high out here and your lows are low. It’s a very humbling sport. I’ve been working really hard, and this is a testament to the hard work.”
He continued, “My parents have been through hell and back basically for the last six years with me fighting some mental stuff.”
Grayson Murray noted how special it was to share the success with his parents.
“It’s not easy on me, and the people around me that love me, they don’t like to see me down,” he added. They’ve been my No. 1 supporters. There’s a few friends as well that have been there, and it makes these moments a lot more special when you can share it with them.”
In 2021, Murray criticized the PGA Tour for lacking support services for alcoholism. However, he later resolved these issues with the tour and collaborated with Commissioner Jay Monahan to improve mental health support for players. Murray also joined the 16-member Player Advisory Council.
Before his passing on Saturday, Murray had already withdrawn from the Charles Schwab Challenge on Friday.