Jim Nantz chokes up as he announces Grayson Murray’s death on CBS as he legendary broadcaster mourns loss of golfer ‘gone way too soon’
This week, he carded a first round 68 and then played 16 holes before withdrawing due to an unspecified illness.
Golfer Luke Donald offered his condolences on Twitter in the aftermath of the news.
‘Truly devastating news that Grayson Murray has passed away. He asked me for some advice on how to play Augusta a few months ago, last week I saw him at the PGA Championship, life truly is precious.
‘My condolences and prayer to his whole family that they may find some peace.’
At the Sony Open in Hawaii in January, when he won his second PGA Tour title, he gave a now-poignant interview about hard times away from the course.
‘My rookie year was 2017 – I was young and thought I was invincible and wasn’t doing the correct stuff off the course to really give myself the best chance to succeed out here,’ he said.
‘Over the years, I’ve given in a few times and then right when I try to give up, someone gives me a little bit more inspiration, saying: “Hey you got it, you can do it”
‘Those are just the people that are close to me that I really lean on in hard times and I just have to keep pushing through. That’s the only way I know how.
Murray, with fiancee Christiana, after winning the Sony Open in Hawaii – his second PGA win
He admitted there were ‘multiple low points,’ adding: ‘I’ve obviously been vocal about the alcohol use in the past and I’m over eight months sober and I have a beautiful fiancee that I love so much, who’s so supportive of me and my parents are so supportive of me.
‘My caddie, Jay, is one of my biggest cheerleaders. And it just makes everything so easy when I get out here inside the ropes.
‘When everyone in my circle is just really pulling for me and they’re right there with me when I do have those hard days. And I still have hard days but I feel a lot more at peace inside the ropes now.’