The father of the late Grayson Murray has revealed one of the final moments they shared together before the PGA Tour pro’s suicide in May at the age of 30.
In a newly published piece by Golf Digest, Eric Murray recalled how he and his son had an emotional conversation at home in Raleigh, N.C., on May 5, when Murray stated, “I don’t want to be here anymore.”
Days following that interaction, Murray participated in the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, but withdrew from the second round due to illness. His death was announced on May 25.
“We were devastated to learn — and are heartbroken to share — that PGA Tour player Grayson Murray passed away this morning,” PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement at the time. “I am at a loss for words. The PGA Tour is a family, and when you lose a member of your family, you are never the same.
“We mourn Grayson and pray for comfort for his loved ones. I reached out to Grayson’s parents to offer our deepest condolences, and during that conversation, they asked that we continue with tournament play. They were adamant that Grayson would want us to do so.”
Eric and Terry Murray, the golfer’s mother, later confirmed the two-time PGA Tour winner had died by suicide.
“We have spent the last 24 hours trying to come to terms with the fact that our son is gone. It’s surreal that we not only have to admit it to ourselves, but that we also have to acknowledge it to the world. It’s a nightmare,” their statement read on May 26.
“… Was Grayson loved? The answer is yes. By us, his brother Cameron, his sister Erica, all of his extended family, by his friends, by his fellow players and — it seems — by many of you who are reading this. He was loved and he will be missed.
“We would like to thank the PGA TOUR and the entire world of golf for the outpouring of support. Life wasn’t always easy for Grayson, and although he took his own life, we know he rests peacefully now.”
Murray, who had been open about battles with depression and alcohol issues in the past, was considered a “homebody,” according to sister Erica, who told Golf Digest, “He didn’t like being on the road.”
“He was a homebody, he got his energy from family and friends. Being stuck in hotel rooms, [away] from people he could trust, did a number on him,” she said.
Terry believes a higher power kept an eye on her son, as Murray connected with a woman named Maggie en route to Palm Beach following his withdrawal from the Charles Schwab Challenge.
“Even until the very end,” she said, “he was surrounded by angels that were looking out for him.”
For Eric, he will fondly remember Grayson as his “superhero.”
“Those weren’t character flaws,” Eric said. “Those demons, that affliction, they were trying to destroy him. He would often say, ‘Why me, dad? Why did this have to happen to me?’ And yet he kept going, and he was open about it all, willing to take the hits to his reputation and image, knowing it was OK as long as it helped someone in his same position.”
In the aftermath of Murray’s passing, members of the golf community paid tribute, including Rory McIlroy, who noted the heartbreaking situation “puts everything in perspective.”
“It’s incredibly sad and everyone has to remember out here that we go out and we do things that a lot of people can’t, but at the end of the day, we’re still human beings and we’re vulnerable and we’re fragile, and I think if there’s a lesson for anyone out there it’s just to be kinder to each other,” the four-time major champion said in May.
Ahead of the U.S. Open in June, the USGA memorialized Murray with a plaque in the locker room in Pinehurst, N.C., that read: “The USGA remembers Grayson and pays tribute to the playing accomplishments that merited his place in the 124th U.S. Open Championship.”
The plaque concluded with, “Be kind to one another.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
