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 gained the Sony Open final yr by making birdie on the 18th gap and profitable a playoff with a 40-foot putt.
The celebration of his life passed off at some point 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 dependancy.
“Grayson touched the guts of so many by sharing his personal psychological well being challenges,” his mother and father, Eric and Terry Murray, stated in a press release. “He utilized his platform as a multi-time champion on the PGA Tour to achieve 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 preventing again tears through the ceremony led by Corbett Kalama, the president of Associates of Hawaii Charities who shared a Hawaiian prayer because the solar rose over the waters.
Eric Murray finally inspired Murray’s mates to recollect his son’s ardour.
“By way of the muse, we need to preserve that zeal alive,” he stated.
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 incorrect when Murray withdrew through the second spherical. Murray took his life at his Florida residence a day in a while Could 25.
Murray was a uncooked expertise after taking on golf at age 8. He gained 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 gained the Sony Open.
“It’s not simple,” Murray stated after profitable in Hawaii. “I needed to surrender quite a lot of instances. Quit on myself. Quit on the sport of golf. Quit 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 exhausting it should to be lose a toddler,” Simpson stated. “I hope they will see how celebrated he was. It was a fantastic outpouring of assist. I miss him.”
The president of Murray’s basis is Jeff Maness, who stated it was an outgrowth of Murray’s want to assist others in want.
“As Grayson bravely confronted his personal experiences with melancholy and dependancy, he witnessed firsthand the challenges that greet those that search assist, each financially and from an accessibility standpoint,” Maness stated. “Grayson was intent on utilizing his place as a PGA Tour participant to assist others. … We honor him as we supply ahead his mission.”
Notice: If you happen to or somebody you recognize is struggling or in disaster, assist is offered. Name or textual content 988 to achieve somebody on the 988 Suicide & Disaster Lifeline, or chat by way of 988lifeline.org.
