HONOLULU — The Sony Open turned solemn Tuesday morning when dozens of gamers, caddies and PGA Tour officers joined Grayson Murray’s household alongside the shore behind the sixteenth inexperienced at Waialae to pay tribute to the defending champion who took his personal life 4 months later.
Murray received the Sony Open final 12 months by making birdie on the 18th gap and successful a playoff with a 40-foot putt.
The celebration of his life happened in the future after the PGA Tour introduced the launch of the Grayson Murray Basis , which is geared towards elevating consciousness and assist of psychological well being and habit.
“Grayson touched the guts of so many by sharing his personal psychological well being challenges,” his mother and father, Eric and Terry Murray, mentioned in an announcement. “He utilized his platform as a multi-time champion on the PGA Tour to succeed in and encourage these in want — and we’re decided to proceed his generosity and unwavering dedication to assist make a distinction within the lives of others.”
His father twice declined to talk whereas combating again tears through the ceremony led by Corbett Kalama, the president of Mates of Hawaii Charities who shared a Hawaiian prayer because the solar rose over the waters.
Eric Murray finally inspired Murray’s pals to recollect his son’s ardour.
“By means of the muse, we wish to preserve that keenness alive,” he mentioned.
Kalama invited the household — Murray’s mother and father, a brother and sister, and caddie Jay Inexperienced — to the water to toss petals of white orchids into the ocean. Some three dozen gamers, caddies, officers and PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan lined up alongside them. Monahan folded his blue blazer throughout his arms as he stood barefoot within the sand.
Peter Malnati performed with Murray on the Colonial in Could and alerted officers that one thing was mistaken when Murray withdrew through the second spherical. Murray took his life at his Florida residence a day afterward Could 25.
Murray was a uncooked expertise after taking over golf at age 8. He received his age division three straight years on the prestigious Junior World Championship in San Diego. However he struggled to slot in at school, going to Wake Forest, East Carolina after which Arizona State.
He at all times spoke his thoughts, even about his personal struggles. However he introduced he had been sober for eight months when he received the Sony Open.
“It’s not straightforward,” Murray mentioned after successful in Hawaii. “I wished to surrender quite a lot of instances. Surrender on myself. Surrender on the sport of golf. Surrender on life, at instances.”
Webb Simpson was amongst these near Murray, having first seen him as a younger boy after they labored with the identical coach, Ted Kiegel, in North Carolina.
“I can solely think about how onerous it should to be lose a baby,” Simpson mentioned. “I hope they’ll see how celebrated he was. It was an important outpouring of assist. I miss him.”
The president of Murray’s basis is Jeff Maness, who mentioned it was an outgrowth of Murray’s want to assist others in want.
“As Grayson bravely confronted his personal experiences with melancholy and habit, he witnessed firsthand the challenges that greet those that search assist, each financially and from an accessibility standpoint,” Maness mentioned. “Grayson was intent on utilizing his place as a PGA Tour participant to assist others. … We honor him as we stock ahead his mission.”
Be aware: If you happen to or somebody you realize is struggling or in disaster, assist is accessible. Name or textual content 988 to succeed in somebody on the 988 Suicide & Disaster Lifeline, or chat by way of 988lifeline.org.
