When Webb Simpson learned of Grayson Murray’s death, the 30-year-old’sfriendshipwith him was just beginning to blossom, which prompted a devastating eulogy.
Golfer Grayson Murray passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, but not before Webb Simpson told a story about the gifted 30-year-old with whom he had become close over the previous 12 months.
Murray’s death was confirmed by the PGA Tour on Saturday, a day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Challenge. Murray’s parents requested that the tournament go on because they thought the golfer would have preferred for play to continue while he was away.
In addition, Murray’s family asked that players wear red and black ribbons on Sunday in remembrance of him. Murray played on Sundays for the Carolina Hurricanes, his hometown National Hockey League team.
As a result, the competition became a place of mourning, as eventual winner Davis Riley noted in his victorious speech. Clearly a very depressing day for the golf world. Riley declared on CBS following his victory, “My heart just goes to him and his family.” “Today there was definitely something extra to play for.”
However, in Riley’s own tribute to the late golfer, Simpson, a fellow competitor, shared stories about Murray prior to Riley’s victory on Sunday. Simpson said on CBS, “My heart sank, obviously, it was a huge shock.”
“He was the first-ever winner of the Webb Simpson Challenge, a junior tournament that I’ve been running for the past 14 years. That day, when he accepted the trophy, seems like it was yesterday to me. I had no doubts about him being a fantastic player from the start.
“I just detest it; we had a great time together playing with him at Charlotte for the first two days, and his game looked good. I detest it greatly. This year, I need to get to know him even better.
“His fiancee and I had dinner at Pebble Beach, and I know she’s hurting, as is everyone connected to Grayson Murray. I’m glad he was there with his faith before this morning (Saturday) happened, even though I detest it and miss him.”
Since then, hundreds of golfers have shown their support during this trying time, and a moved Peter Malnati moved the sports world with his tribute, which truly helped to put things in perspective. This is going to be very challenging. Although I didn’t know Grayson well, I’ve spent the last few days getting to know him, and I have to admit that we get really worked up over little things like a good or bad break here or there,” he said.
We’re fiercely competitive around here, you know. Everyone wants to defeat the other. Then something similar occurs, and you realize that we’re all just people.
“Looking at Grayson, you see someone who has clearly, publicly struggled in the past, and he’s been honest about it, so today is just a really, really difficult day. And you watch him rebuild his life to the point where he is content with everything. It’s really very depressing.”
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