FORT WORTH, Texas — The family of Grayson Murray, the troubled PGA Tour star who died on Saturday morning, confirmed by a statement issued through the PGA Tour on Sunday that the 30-year-old’s death came by suicide.
In the statement from his parents, Eric and Terry Murray, the family thanked the Tour and others for the support they have offered in the wake of his death.
Murray, a two-time PGA Tour winner, battled alcohol issues and depression. He had played in the first round of this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club, shooting a 68, but then withdrew with two holes to play in his second round.
PGA Tour: Golf world reacts to Grayson Murray’s tragic passing
This was the statement from his family:
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.
We have so many questions that have no answers.
But one.
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.
Please respect our privacy as we work through this incredible tragedy, and please honor Grayson by being kind to one another. If that becomes his legacy, we could ask for nothing else.
Photos: Grayson Murray through the years
On Saturday, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan spoke about his discussions with Murray about how the Tour could better support players dealing with mental health issues.
“Over the last several years, I spent a lot of time with him because I wanted to understand what we could do in his estimation, in his opinion, to help everybody else out here.” Monahan said at Colonial Country Club on Saturday after flying in from the Tour’s headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. “We’ve made a number of advancements along those lines and, you know, it’s become a real point of focus and emphasis. We’re proud of the programs we have in place to support our players, to support everybody out here.”