Getty Image / Vaughn Ridley
The world was delivered a gut punch last weekend when news broke that beloved PGA Tour golfer Grayson Murray had passed away at just 30 years old and five months after wining his second PGA Tour tournament, the Sony Open in Hawaii at the start of the season.
Prior to his passing, Grayson Murray had played in the first two rounds of the Charles Schwab Challenge before withdrawing from the tournament which made his passing come as even more of a shock to those who had seem him around the course all week. Murray had struggled with anxiety, depression, and alcoholism throughout his life, a deadly combo for far too many.
Prior to the RBC Canadian Open, during Rory McIlroy‘s media availability he was asked about Grayson Murray’s passing. As someone who has dealt with a disproportionate amount of loss for someone my age, I have to say that Rory’s comments hit hard for me:
Rory McIlroy who had a well publicized rift with Grayson Murray exactly one year ago spoke about his death this past week, "Golf is golf and ya we play it for a living but it pales in comparison to the things that actually matter in life." #RBCCO pic.twitter.com/nR5HEORNRq
— Chris McKee (@mrmckee) May 29, 2024
Rory McIlroy started by saying “it’s incredibly sad first and foremost, and I think we’re all thinking about Grayson’s family and hoping that they’re doing okay and getting through this incredible tough period.”
Then Rory sort of switched gears from a stock answer. He went on to say “it’s cliche but it puts everything in perspective. At the end of the day, golf is golf and yeah we play it for a living but it pales in comparison to the things that actually matter in life. And I’ve had to realize that at times and I’m still sort of working my way through that in terms of not making golf the be-all-end-all for me. But I think it slaps you in the face when something like that happens.”
Rory finished up by saying “everyone has to remember that we go out and 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.”
I don’t have it in me today to write about my first and toughest experience with the of someone close to me. But I did write about here last Month when Bradley Nowell’s son took over as frontman of Sublime.
What I’ll say is that when a public figure takes their own life it impacts millions of people who have dealt with similar losses in the past. My heart breaks for Grayson Murray’s family and friends that this is something they will now go through.