Grayson Murray and Keegan Bradley are joint leaders at 14 under at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Murray shot a bogey-free 64 on Saturday and moved up three places. But it's been quite the journey for Murray.
He recorded his only win on the PGA Tour during his rookie season in 2017 at the Barbasol Championship.
After Saturday's round, Murray reflected on his eventful journey.
“For years, I've given up, but just when I was about to give up, someone gave me a little more inspiration and said, 'Okay, you can do it.' These are the people that are close to me and that I can rely on in difficult times,” Murray said. “I had to keep pushing through. It's the only way I know how.”
Murray hasn't been the perfect example of a professional athlete during his career. There were multiple incidents that made people question him. Little did many of them know, he was struggling with sobriety and was calling them. His lowest point.
“The scooter accident in Bermuda was a real low point in my life,” he said. “I have been very vocal about my alcohol intake in the past. I have been sober for over eight months now. I have a beautiful fiance who I love very much and who is very supportive of me. My parents are He is very supportive of me. My caddy Jay is one of my biggest cheerleaders.”
Murray details the support system that keeps him on the path he wants to take.
“Once I got inside the ropes with everyone around me pulling me, it all became a lot easier,” Murray said. “When I’m having a tough day, they’re right there with me, and even though I still have tough days, I feel much more at peace in the ropes now.”
Having a group of people like that there for you can really make a difference. It's hard to understand how professional golfers deal with pressure. Not everyone is dealing with it the right way, but Murray seems to be changing his mind.
Fellow PGA Tour player Chris Kirk, last week's Sentry winner, is also open about his sobriety. He won the PGA Tour Courage Award in 2023.
“Chris is an inspiration,” Murray said. “You can see the success he’s had since getting sober, how quickly he’s had success here on tour and become the player he was and even better.”
“Like you, Chris and I know we're not going to have great days. We still have some tough days ahead. The Lord is willing to do the right thing every day and never give up. It’s about giving all the glory.”
There are 18 holes left between his second PGA Tour win and his fifth professional win.
Murray has been through some tough times in his life, but looking at his current golf game, he might finally be able to overcome them again.
“I know how to win. I mean, I'm not afraid of the moment,” Murray said. “I'm not going to back down. I'm going to give it my all and if I don't win tomorrow, it's not because I didn't give it my all or I was scared out there.”
Murray has two wins on the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour, at the AdventHealth Championship in May and the Simmons Bank Open presented by the Snedeker Foundation in September.
Of the 13 PGA Tour tournaments he played in 2023, he had two top-10 finishes at the John Deere Classic and Barbasol Championship. The 30-year-old also finished T15th at the Puerto Rico Open.
It will be easy to root for Murray on Sunday night, whether you're a fan watching or in attendance.
Savannah Lee Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation's Playing Through.For more golf information, please follow us @_PlayingThrough On all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirls and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
