For the first time, the previous year’s champion will not be among the 144 players teeing off when the Sony Open in Hawaii gets underway Thursday.
But Grayson Murray’s spirit was at Waialae Country Club on Tuesday.
“We could definitely feel it,” his father, Eric, said a few minutes after a celebration of Grayson’s life. About 40 of his PGA Tour peers and a few close friends and family attended the event at the beach near the 15th green.
Grayson Murray died May 25, 2024, at age 30, less than five months after he nailed a 40-foot putt to win the Sony Open in a three-way playoff with Keegan Bradley and Byeong Hun An.
Murray spoke often about his struggles with social anxiety, depression and substance abuse. He died by suicide a day after withdrawing from the Charles Schwab Challenge due to illness. He was in the middle of his most successful year on the PGA Tour and was engaged to be married.
In addition to the ceremony Tuesday, the launching of the Grayson Murray Foundation was announced. Its main goal is “to raise awareness of mental health and addiction challenges faced by individuals from all walks of life, while advancing innovative services and research,” according to the foundation’s website.
“Losing a child is terrible. The pain never goes away,” Eric Murray said. “But this is something positive that can come of it. This is something Grayson was planning to do anyway.”
Terry Murray said her son Grayson told her that he wanted to help other people with mental health issues who don’t have the means to pay for rehab services that are not always covered by insurance.
“Often the coverage is only for a certain amount of time,” she said.
Murray’s victory at Waialae was his second on the Tour, and first in seven years.
In his postmatch press conference, he talked at length about the ups and downs of dealing with mental health issues, in the hope of inspiring others with similar challenges.
“It was a turning point, one of the best of his life,” said Jeff Maness, a longtime friend and supporter. “The sad reality is the affliction was still present in his body.”
Many golf fans mostly knew Murray for confrontational social media postings, drinking during tournaments or temper tantrums when he made a bad shot. He grew up as a golf prodigy, and when he did not win much early in his pro career some who did not know him well considered him a waste of talent.
“Grayson’s life was a bit misunderstood. People in the spotlight are judged differently. There’s still a stigma, but at least conversations are starting. When you peel it back and understand, you see that the maladaptive behavior was linked to his depression,” Maness said. “At the same time, he had so much kindness and generosity. He was incredibly generous, with his time and finances. He would stay in touch with people he met along the way.”
That included people he met in rehab, Terry said.
On his birthday in October, the Murray family played a round of golf together at the course Grayson learned the game at when he was 8, Wildwood Green Golf Club in Raleigh, N.C.
“Oh, yes, we could tell he was with us,” Eric said. “I think he was laughing at us.”
The family plans to fulfill Grayson’s wish of holding an annual tournament to support the foundation.
As they went through his things after his death, they found detailed plans for the foundation and a tournament to help those who could not afford mental health treatment.
“My story is not finished,” he said after winning at Waialae last year. “I think it’s just beginning. I hope I can inspire a lot of people going forward that have their own issues.”
He can’t defend his championship this week, but Grayson Murray still has the platform for a more important goal.
“He had a big support team that has transitioned to his foundation team,” Maness said. “He’s here.”
Terry Murray agreed.
“I think he’s smiling,” she said.
SONY OPEN IN HAWAII
At Waialae Country Club
Par 71
When: Thursday through Sunday
Total purse: $8.7 million
First place: $1,566,000
