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Grayson Murray‘s death has left the golf world heartbroken. The two-time PGA Tour winner was one of the league’s top stars and was named one of the best golfers in the world. His untimely death at the age of 30 has left fans shocked.
Learn more about Murray, his life, family and career below.
Grayson Was From North Carolina
Murray was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina. He attended Wake Forest University, then transferred to playing golf at East Carolina University. After a few weeks, he transferred to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro but eventually enrolled at Arizona State University.
He Won 2 PGA Tours in His Career
The late golfer has two PGA Tour titles on his resume — the 2017 Barbasol Championship in Kentucky and the 2014 Sony Open in Hawaii.
Grayson Struggled With Alcoholism & Depression
After winning the January 2024 Sony Open, Murray opened up about his personal struggles during an interview with Golf Monthly. He admitted that he would “drink during tournament weeks” and called alcohol his “outlet.”
“I thought I was invincible coming out here as a 22-year-old, winning as a rookie, played three days hungover when I won,” Murray admitted. “Best thing and worst thing that ever happened to me was winning my rookie year but also feeling like I was invincible. … It took me a long time to get to this point.”
While adding that he has come a long way in his recovery, Murray explained how he was able to quit drinking.
“That was seven years ago, over seven years ago. I’m a different man now,” he insisted. “I would not be in this position right now today if I didn’t put that drink down eight months ago.”
Apart from alcoholism, Murray described his struggle with anxiety and depression. The late athlete pointed out that he “asked for help” and was able to manage it.
“There are days where I didn’t want to get out of bed. I just thought I was a failure,” Murray told the outlet. “I always looked at myself as a failure. I thought I had a lot of talent that was just a waste of talent.”
He also went onto point out that his anxiety and depression “stemmed a lot from the alcohol use.”
“I struggle with comparing myself to others, self-esteem. There’s a lot of issues that — I call them issues,” Murray added. “I got tired of trying to fight it alone, and I asked for help one day, and that’s when my life changed.”
Grayson Was Engaged
Murray was engaged to his fiancée, Christiana Ritchie, whom he had first met in 2021. The late golfer proposed to Christiana in December 2023, and he announced their engagement in a since-deleted Instagram post, per Us Weekly.
“Easiest decision of my life,” Murray captioned the now-deleted post. “I love you so much babe. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you. God is so Great.”
His Cause of Death Was Suicide
According to Murray’s parents, Eric and Terry Murray, the late athlete died by suicide. In a statement released by the PGA Tour on the Murray family’s behalf, Eric and Terry noted, “Life wasn’t always easy for Grayson, and although he took his own life, we know he rest peacefully now.”
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
