In a raw, unfiltered social media post, PGA Tour pro Grayson Murray said he’s an alcoholic who has not received help from the Tour, and added that life on golf’s most lucrative circuit is “absolutely awful.”
Murray, who attended Wake Forest University, East Carolina University, and Arizona State University, has four professional wins, including one on the PGA Tour — the 2017 Barbasol Championship.
At this week’s 3M Open, Murray shot 73 in the opening round then doubled his first hole in the second round and withdrew. That comes after testing positive for COVID at the 3M Open last year.
Murray has been volatile on social media in the past, often expressing his support for former President Donald Trump and even taking sly jabs at fellow Tour members, like a recent post in which he insisted his seven straight missed cuts had nothing to do with his equipment (an obvious dig at Bryson DeChambeau’s public comments about Cobra.)
He recently opened up via Twitter to tell of the murder of his great aunt and great uncle in North Carolina.
But in this recent post, which came Saturday night, Murray said he’s struggled with life on Tour. While some of it is injury-related, he let on that issues with alcohol have gotten him into hot water.
Murray, 27, said in the tweet that he’s on probation with the Tour after an incident in Hawaii and added that he’s an “alcoholic that hates everything to do with the pga tour (sic) life and that’s my scapegoat.”
— Grayson Murray (@GraysonMurray) July 23, 2021
Murray added that he’s currently recovering from alcohol issues and said any pleas for help have been unmet.
“No the pga tour didn’t force me to drink. but the pga tour never gave me help. In my 5 years of experience of being on tour not once have i ever had a request been acknowledged by the commissioner or the PAC other than ‘we will get back to you’. I hope not only the PGA tour steps up in the areas they need to step up but i also hope people are held accountable in their roles they serve,” said the tweet from Murray’s account.
Recent PGA Championship winner and Tour veteran Phil Mickelson was one of many people to respond to Murray’s posts with messages of support. “I’m sorry playing the Tour has been so overwhelming and if I can help in any way I’d be happy to,” Mickelson wrote in response on Twitter. “It’s not an easy life for sure, and even winning every year can bring about other challenges. FYI ‘we will get back to you’ is the only response I’ve ever gotten too.”
It should be noted that many other professional leagues offer programs for younger players. For example, the National Football League’s Rookie Transition Program walks newcomers through potential pitfalls and how best to avoid them. From the NFL’s website:
There are 15 mandatory topics that are presented by the league and by the people who rookies will interact with on a daily basis. This peer-to-peer format creates a collaborative environment for clear and consistent communication.
The Tour doesn’t offer any similar service.
“You see the tour not once in my 5 years of being a member has reached out to me with advice or help on how to deal with the life of becoming a pga tour pro. All they want to do is pour money into the top 10 guys they promote,” it said on Murray’s account.
Murray has fallen to 457th in the Official World Golf Ranking and has made the cut just seven times in 21 Tour events this season.
Golfweek reached out to the PGA Tour for comment, but has not yet received a reply.