(Photo credit score: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images)
Webb Simpson and Grayson Murray had been born eight years aside within the metropolis of Raleigh, N.C.
When Simpson was an adolescent together with his sights set on a golf profession, he met Murray for the primary time. His swing coach instructed him there was a child round eight or 9 who was already “really good” and did not livefar from Simpson.
“I remember meeting him. He was just a classic little eight-year-old, nine-year-old golfer. Very good at the game,” Simpson recalled Tuesday. “It was kind of one of these guys where you encounter good young juniors, but it’s rare where a guy gets better and better. So I kept watching him and staying in touch.”
Simpson began a junior match in 2010, and Murray was the primary participant to win it. Their friendship lasted until each had been enjoying professionally on the PGA Tour.
In May of final 12 months, 4 months after profitable the Sony Open in Hawaii, Murray died by suicide at age 30, a shock to Simpson and the PGA Tour group.
Murray is on gamers’ minds this week in Honolulu as they put together to play the Sony Open with out its defending champion.
“I miss him a ton,” Simpson mentioned. “I believe, you realize, when it occurs it is recent in your thoughts and you concentrate on it for days and weeks. You do not cease desirous about it.
“But as time goes on, you know, life goes on, and then you have these moments a year after he won where we get to remember just his win, his life, what he meant to so many people.”
Murray’s household got here to Hawaii this week because the PGA Tour helped put collectively a celebration of life for the late golfer, who throughout his life was open about his struggles with melancholy and habit.
His mother and father, Eric and Terry Murray, additionally introduced the launch of the Grayson Murray Foundation that can deal with psychological well being and habit consciousness.
Simpson mentioned it was “very fitting” to have the celebration of life on the website of Murray’s final victory on tour.
“I can only imagine how hard it must be to lose a child, to even understand what they’re going through,” Simpson mentioned of Murray’s mother and father. “I hope I don’t have to ever go through that. But I think, I hope that they could see how celebrated he was this morning. I was really encouraged with how many guys came, players, caddies, PGA Tour staff, media. I think it was a great outpouring of love for Grayson.”
Simpson added that he, Murray and some others acquired collectively for a “really special dinner” at Pebble Beach a number of weeks after Murray’s Sony victory.
“Just reflected on his life, where he had come from, the trials he had gone through,” Simpson shared Tuesday. “And then, you realize, profitable out right here can change your life so shortly, and I do not understand how assured he was on profitable when he acquired right here Monday, Tuesday that week, however he received and it actually arrange his 12 months, acquired him within the Masters. He was about to get married, and so all this nice stuff was occurring in his life.
“So it’s hard to remember those and not be like immediately reminded of the sadness of what happened in May. But also don’t want to forget those were like real moments of joy and real moments where he experienced some great things in life.”
–Field Level Media