Grayson Murray Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Tour pro involved in serious crash, withdraws from Bermuda Championship

Golf Digest Middle East — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 10:00:27 +0000

By Joel Beall
PGA Tour player Grayson Murray was involved in a crash ahead of this week’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship, forcing the 29-year-old to withdraw from the event.

According to the Royal Gazette, Murray and his caddie, Douglas Schwimer, were riding scooters on Tuesday in the town of Puget en route to their hotel. As Murray was turning a bend, he collided with a car coming the opposite direction.

“Two visiting men were hurt and transported to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital via ambulance for treatment,” a police spokesman told the Gazette. “Each was riding a separate rental scooter at the time of the collision. One of the men is understood to have sustained injuries to his arms and legs, while the other is understood to have sustained injuries to his hands. Both visitors are in Bermuda for the 2022 Butterfield Bermuda Championship golf tournament.”

?BREAKING @PGATOUR
Source: Pro golfer Grayson Murray in Bermuda for @Bermuda_Champ seriously injured in rental scooter accident. Likely out of tournament. Caddie also hurt. @GolfChannel pic.twitter.com/hxEWUJmyYx

— Glenn Jones (@GlennNBCBoston) October 26, 2022

In an interview with Golfweek, Murray said he was knocked unconscious during the accident and does not remember being transported to the hospital. He said he did not break any bones but received 50 stitches, 25 of which were on his face.

“Honestly, I’m pretty fortunate because the helmet saved me. If it wasn’t for my knee and stitches in my left hand, I would try to play,” Murray told Golfweek. “It is nobody’s fault. Riding on the opposite side of the road is already confusing and the roads in Bermuda are narrow and sketchy.”

Schwimer, who was riding behind Murray, attempted to stop but fell off his scooter, resulting in road rash. However, he is remaining in the event and will now caddie for alternate Johnson Wagner.

Murray, who has been open about his substance-abuse issues, told Golfweek he was sober at the time of the crash. In Bermuda, tourists are not allowed to rent cars, forcing many to use scooters to get around the island.

Murray was set to make his first start on tour in the 2022-23 season. He’s played in 115 events on the PGA Tour and won the 2017 Barbasol Classic.

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PGA Tour player says he’s in treatment for alcohol use

Golf Digest Middle East — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 00:10:17 +0000

Ben Jared

By Joel Beall
PGA Tour player Grayson Murray announced that he is in treatment for alcohol use.

Murray, 27, shared the news on social media and said he’s been in treatment for 12 days.

“I still have a long ways to go and have made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t leave until I was 100% ready for the real world again,” Murray wrote. “Thanks for all the messages it means a lot.”

I’ve been in treatment the last 12 days for my alcohol. I still have a long ways to go and have made a promise to myself that i wouldn’t leave until i was 100% ready for the real world again. Thanks for all the messages it means a lot. ??

— Grayson Murray (@GraysonMurray) August 8, 2021

Following a second-round WD at the 3M Open on July 23, Murray opened up about his battles with drinking on Twitter, saying he was on probation by the PGA Tour for an incident in a hotel bar in Hawaii. Murray went on to write that he is an alcoholic and playing the PGA Tour has been “awful” for him, while claiming the tour had ignored his pleas for help. In response, the PGA Tour released a statement: “We can unequivocally say that the PGA Tour is a family, and when a member of that family needs help, we are there for him. That has been the case here and will continue to be.”

Murray has made 103 starts over five seasons on the PGA Tour and won the 2017 Barbasol Classic, but has struggled over the past two seasons, making the cut 11 times in 36 appearances. Earlier this summer Murray shared his family had suffered a series of tragedies, including the murder of his great aunt and uncle.

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PGA Tour player shares family tragedy on Twitter

Golf Digest Middle East — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 05:29:59 +0000

Mike Ehrmann

By Joel Beall
Grayson Murray shared on social media that his family fell victim to a series of tragedies.

On Friday Murray tweeted that two family members had passed, with a link to a story concerning the murder of an elderly couple in Aberdeen, N.C., just outside of Pinehurst.

“Was supposed to see my great aunt and great uncle who I adore so much at my grandma’s funeral this week and now I will have to attend their funeral,” Murray said. “I hope they catch the coward who did this to them. Rip Meme and DP i love you guys.”

According to WRAL News, Mary Lou Black, 86, and D.P. Black, 91, were found dead by the Moore County sheriff’s office on Friday, July 9. The police were notified of a welfare check after the couple failed to pick up an employee earlier in the day. Police found one body on a porch and the other inside the home.

“To go out and die like this, it’s a cowardly act,” said Moore County sheriff Ronnie Fields. “The people that’s responsible, or person responsible, for this crime, they need to be brought to justice.”

As Murray alluded to in his Friday tweet, his family was already grieving the loss of Murray’s grandmother. The day prior Murray had withdrawn midway through the first round at the John Deere Classic, stating his play was affected by his grandmother’s death.

“Thought i could tee it up and play but with the passing of my grandma yesterday all my focus was getting back to see my family,” Murray wrote on Twitter. “Sorry to have to withdraw from such a great event. But I need to be home to be with my family during this time. Thanks for the support and privacy.”

As of Monday afternoon, Murray is listed in this week’s Barbasol Classic, the PGA Tour’s alternate event to the Open Championship. Murray is in his fifth season on tour, with his win at the 2017 Barbasol his lone PGA Tour victory. Murray enters the week 185th in the FedEx Cup ranking.

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PGA Tour pro Grayson Murray says he has tested positive for COVID-19

Golf Digest Middle East — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 05:02:39 +0000

Ben Jared
Murray is withdrawing from this week’s event after taking a COVID-19 test and returning a positive result.

By Ryan Herrington
Grayson Murray appears to be the latest PGA Tour pro to test positive for COVID-19. The 26-year-old from Raleigh, N.C., announced the news via his Instagram account on Sunday evening.

View this post on Instagram

Need Netflix recommendations ?

A post shared by Grayson Murray (@graysonmurray) on Jul 19, 2020 at 6:51pm PDT

Murray had been listed over the weekend as being in the field for this week’s 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn. He is the seventh PGA Tour pro known to test positive.

Since the tour’s restart in June, Murray has played in three tournaments. He has missed the cut twice and with from the third event due to a lower-back issue. The 2017 Barbasol Championship winner is currently 169th on the FedEx Cup points list with five events remaining in the 2019-’20 regular season.

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Grayson Murray, who has struggled of late, shoots 64 in opening round of the American Express

Golf Digest Middle East — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 07:13:11 +0000

Photo by Getty Images

By Christopher Powers
It’s not been a very good last year and change for Grayson Murray, who played in just 14 events last season due to a back injury. In those 14 starts he made only five cuts and withdrew three other times. Despite being back to full health, he picked up where he left off when he returned this fall at the Greenbrier, where he tied for 36th. He then missed his next three cuts, and followed that up with a WD at the Houston Open after shooting a first-round 79.

But all it takes is one good round to erase the bad vibes, and that’s what Murray got on Thursday at the American Express. Playing on PGA West’s Stadium Course, the most difficult the players will face this week, Murray went nuclear, making nine birdies and just one bogey for an eight-under 64. Through one round he’s tied for the lead with Zac Blair, whose 64 came at La Quinta Country Club.

Rickie Fowler, the pre-tournament favorite, shot a seven-under 65 at La Quinta, which has him tied with Hank Lebioda and Scottie Scheffler at seven under. Scheffler also played La Quinta on Thursday, while Lebioda played the Nicklaus Tournament Course.

Tyler Duncan, who won the RSM Classic in November, shot a six-under 66 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course. He’s among a large group tied for sixth that also includes two-time tour winner Russell Knox. Phil Mickelson finished with a two-under 70 at La Quinta and sits six back.

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Bernhard Langer gets robbed (sort of), Rickie Fowler’s fans get robed, Grayson Murray rips his elders & Brooks Koepka monkeys around

Golf Digest Middle East — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 04:45:33 +0000

By Alex Myers

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we won’t be satisfied until we encounter LeBron James on our morning commute. Seeing King James mingle with us common folk would be a treat. Plus, it would be great to use his 6-foot-8, 270-pound frame to help barrel into crowded subway cars. Speaking of surprising characters barreling past people, how about Kevin Sutherland ending Bernhard Langer’s reign of terror at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship? (And how about that transition to another one of the world’s most dominant athletes?)

The crowds acknowledged Langer’s hugely successful 2017 season as he approached the 18th green in the season finale. (Chris Condon/Getty Images)

I’d be lying if I said part of me didn’t feel like Langer got robbed, but as a New York Giants fan, I also realize that the best player or team doesn’t always win in the postseason (Suck it, 18-1 Patriots). And if you want any drama in the season finale, there has to be something on the line even if a player wins the first two playoff events like Langer did. This is how it works in EVERY sport. In any event, Kevin Sutherland is your 2017 Charles Schwab Cup champ and we’ll all live. Even Bernhard.

WE’RE BUYING

Patton Kizzire: Not only did Kizzire win his first PGA Tour title at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba, but he did so by beating Rickie Fowler head-to-head during a 36-hole Sunday marathon. It was only a matter of time for the 2015 Web.com Tour Player of the Year, but it’s nice for him to not have to wait long for a maiden victory. Speaking of waiting for a long time. . .

Kevin Sutherland: Say what you will about the Charles Schwab Cup format, but Sutherland played great at the PGA Tour Champions season finale. And he couldn’t have picked a better time to get his first senior tour victory – and his first win anywhere since the 2002 WGC-Accenture Match Play. When people also complained that he didn’t deserve to win!

I believe that jacket belongs to Mr. Sutherland! pic.twitter.com/CfZcApI000

— Ryan Ballengee (@RyanBallengee) November 13, 2017

Poor guy. Well, not really. He’s laughing all the way to the bank this week.

Kevin Hall: The best story coming out of Web.com Tour Q School last week was this 34-year-old advancing to next month’s final stage. Deaf since he was two due to meningitis, the 2004 Big Ten individual champ while he was at Ohio State wrapped up at least conditional status on the developmental tour for next season.

Bernhard Langer’s 2017: Seven wins. Three majors. The 60-year-old Langer’s year was a remarkable achievement, even if he didn’t win a fourth consecutive Schwab Cup. Besides, it’s not like Langer gets stripped of those seven wins or all the money he made. And it’s not like he’s going to be denied winning every player of the year award. He just didn’t get to take home that final big trophy. Like the Patriots. Those two times. Against the Giants. Long live Eli The Great!

WE’RE SELLING

Rickie Fowler’s 2017: For as well as he played – statistically, Fowler was better than ever – picking up just one win has to be viewed as a disappointment. Yes, Fowler, who turns 29 next month, already moved past $30 million in on-course earnings and ascended to No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking, but he remains stuck on four PGA Tour titles in 197 career starts. For comparison, his 24-year-old buddy Justin Thomas won five times in 25 starts this past season.

Terrifying wildlife encounters: This faceoff between a King Cobra and a mongoose happened on the course before last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge on the European Tour:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbPPsZVFooG/

All the golfers who were brave enough to stick around for the actual tournament are winners in my book.

Grayson Murray: Now in his second season on the PGA Tour, Murray is still causing controversy on Twitter. Murray’s target this time? The senior tour, including guys like Langer and Sutherland.

After a series of mostly nasty responses, Murray took the tweet down on Sunday night. To his credit, he eventually offered up this apology. On Tuesday:

https://twitter.com/GraysonMurray/status/930456016876998656

The “Golf Rod”: As in, I think this baby will sell, sell, sell. The “Golf Rod” is not an official name, but it’s what I’m calling this clever creation by European golf instructor Steve Waltman.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbO2dVMnbnq/

Personally, I wouldn’t buy the thing because fishing is more boring than Season 3 of The Affair, but I think other people would. Don’t be surprised if a similar gadget pops up on a future episode of Shark Tank.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads to Sea Island for the final official event of the fall, the RSM Classic. And the European Tour’s season finally wraps up with the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. According to the European Tour’s stats, Tommy Fleetwood has a 73-percent chance of winning the Race to Dubai. Justin Rose is next at 24 percent followed by Sergio “So you’re saying there’s a chance” Garcia at 3 percent.

Random tournament fact: It will be hotter in Dubai.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

— Kevin Sutherland feels bad about winning the Schwab Cup: 1.44 MILLION-to-1 odds

— The Patriots will win the Super Bowl again: 3-to-1 odds (They’re the favorites. Again. Sigh.)

— Even if the Patriots win, their fans will still be haunted by the “Helmet Catch”: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

How about Rickie Fowler’s robed fan club at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba?

Rob Carr

That’s Zach Johnson, Jonathan Byrd and Cameron Tringale. This part of the “Sea Island Mafia” will remain pretty comfortable with this week’s home game.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

The European Tour struck gold again with this “Bad Coaching” video:

Great stuff, but it wasn’t really fair to include Padraig Harrington. No swing thought or practice method is too kooky for the three-time major champ.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (EMBARRASSING DIVISION)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took an incredible tumble into a bunker during his round with President Trump. And if not for a pesky TV station, he would have gotten away with it without anyone noticing:

この動画、消されまくってて、知らない方がいるってわかったので、もう一度。
転んだのは仕方ない。
でもね、貴重な外交の時間を、こんな使い方して、翌日の昼食会の挨拶で、
安倍「昨日はドナルドとゴルフを楽しみ、夕食はイヴァンカ夫人を交えて～」
メラニア夫人に失礼だろ。
滅茶苦茶だよ、安倍。 pic.twitter.com/RpiDToG30n

— umekichi (@umekichkun) November 8, 2017

Sorry, Shinzo.

THIS WEEK IN BELEN MOZO IN A BIKINI

Belen announced she is taking a one-week break from social media with this post.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbbwRk6jmUq/

OK then.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“It was never meant to be fair. It was meant to be playoffs. Everybody in the field was given a chance to win. Is it fair? No, it’s not, but that’s how it is right now.” — Bernhard Langer. Fair enough.

THIS WEEK IN ~~DUSTIN JOHNSON-PAULINA GRETZKY~~ BROOKS KOEPKA-JENA SIMS PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

Brooks and Jena’s off-season tour headed to Thailand:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbPJ5I1HR_o/

Where Jena met a particularly friendly primate:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbPLuB8g3lP/

Something tells us Brooks isn’t too worried.

THIS AND THAT

Arnold Palmer earned $40 million in the past year since he died, which places him at No. 2 on Forbes’ highest-paid dead celebrity list (Yes, this is a thing). Another King, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, was No. 1 for a fifth consecutive year at $75 million. . . . Branden Grace won the Nedbank Golf Challenge in his home country of South Africa. More importantly, he didn’t encounter any King Cobras or mongooses (mongeese?). . . . Free Drop Billy is the name of a 2018 Kentucky Derby horse, currently with 25-to-1 odds. He will clearly be a betting favorite, though, in golf circles. . . . The 2027 PGA Championship and 2020 Women’s PGA are headed to Aronimink, and the 2028 PGA Championship and 2032(!) Ryder Cup are headed to Olympic Club. Stay tuned for more big venue news next month when I reveal where the 2018 HGGA Championship (my annual golf trip) is heading. . . . And finally, check out this lame fortune cookie message I got recently:

Even this year’s New York Giants haven’t given up that much.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Who will play in the 2032 Ryder Cup?

Who will upset Bernhard Langer in the 2032 Schwab Cup?

Did that “Golf Rod” guy file for a patent yet?

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Grayson Murray apologises for taking shot at PGA Tour Champions

Golf Digest Middle East — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 04:41:32 +0000

NORTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 03: Grayson Murray of the United States watches his shot from the fourth tee during round three of the Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston on September 3, 2017 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

By Joel Beall

Grayson Murray enjoyed a successful rookie campaign in 2017, winning the Barbasol Championship and reaching the third stage of the FedEx Cup playoffs. Despite this performance, the 24-year-old’s name was frequently mentioned for reasons other than his play. He called out Bryson DeChambeau for an injury WD, chided his fellow pros for their boring social-media accounts and beefed with players on the European Tour regarding world ranking points. Clearly Murray does not adhere to the “Rookies should be seen, not heard” adage.

Murray again made waves over the weekend via Twitter, this time for comments aimed at the PGA Tour Champions. In response to the Golf Channel’s Will Gray, who pointed out the shortcomings of the Charles Schwab Cup point system, Murray said in a now-deleted tweet, “Does anyone really care is the real question…those guys were relevant 10 plus years ago.” Murray further stated that, while he agreed the senior players laid a foundation for the tour of today, the circuit loses a lot of money, forcing the PGA to subsidize it.

After several outlets took Murray to task for his opinions, he issued an apology on Tuesday, specifically for any disrespect mined from his remarks.

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Steve Stricker’s sleep issues, some hope for Houston, and an unlikely rookie-of-year favourite

Golf Digest Middle East — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 05:02:54 +0000

Captain Steve Stricker of the United States Presidents Cup Team replies to questions during the Presidents Cup media day at Liberty National Golf Club. (Photo by Stan Badz/Getty Images)

By Tim Rosaforte

Steve Stricker wakes up some early mornings and isn’t able to fall back asleep. Actually, I know, as he admitted it’s one of the most tangible effect of being leader of a U.S. golf team. “I’m thinking about things a lot,” said the U.S. Presidents Cup captain on Sunday night. “It’s probably the hardest part of the captaincy, making sure you make the right picks.” Even on the Labor Day weekend, when Striker was moving his daughter back to college, he found himself on the phone with vice captains Tiger Woods and Davis Love III. “I haven’t been able to watch much on TV,” Stricker said after the third round of the Dell Technologies Championship. “I’ve been following it on the phone. Every half hour I’m getting out of there to see how guys are doing.” What he saw as it relates to players on the bubble at TPC Boston was not much of a case for picking Charley Hoffman (10th on the points list, with the top 10 securing automatic spots), Kevin Chappell (11) or Brian Harman (12). “It’s an important part of the team,” Stricker said. “You want to make sure the two guys you pick are going to fit with the team. Hopefully they’re playing good. It’s a big decision, and I think about it quite often.” What he thinks often about are Phil Mickelson, especially as he is trying to make a case for himself with rounds of 69-67-69 in Boston. “It’s weird,” Stricker admitted. “I had a talk with him [at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational] in Akron. Here I am asking Phil Mickelson to show me something for the rest of the year. Here’s a guy with 12 tour wins asking a guy with 40-something tour wins and five majors, asking him to show me something before the end of the year. It just doesn’t seem quite right.” What sounds right is that with one round to play and the picks announced on Wednesday night, Mickelson has a real chance at age 47, with only one top-10 in 2017 since March, to make his 12th Presidents Cup team. “Phil’s in a position where, I don’t know how to say it, I’d like to see him play well,” Stricker said. “I know how much he means to the team, not only as a player, but a guy that’s in the team room. He means a lot. I don’t know if any guy outside the top 10 can say that. He’s just really good in the team room and that’s vital. I’d like to see him show something this week, which is great to see.”

I Saw …

The photo posted on Twitter by Steve Timms, president and CEO of the Houston Golf Association, of mowers on the first green at the Golf Club of Houston. While acknowledging that way down the priority list are Houston’s golf courses, there was also a sense of relief hearing that the two courses hosting tour stops in the flooded city have actually opened for play in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, just as there was the Houston Astros opening the doors of Minute Maid Park for a doubleheader with the New York Mets over the weekend.

https://twitter.com/TimmsSteve/status/903679332547211264

Symbolically, it means the same for golfers and golf charities that benefit from the Insperity Invitational on the PGA Tour Champions, as well as the Houston Open at GC of H. “People that depend on us are encouraged that the golf course is bouncing back,” Timms told me on Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Having visited White Sulphur Springs and The Greenbrier Resort after the West Virginia flood in 2016, I can only equate what Timms must be feeling to the sense of pride and victory I saw when the Greenbrier Classic returned this past July to the Old White. On a lesser scale in a bigger grid is the Houston Open, a tournament still without a title sponsor for 2018 that has donated $70 million to charity in its history. “[Houston] is such a vast area,” Timms said. “There are so many people affected that have dire circumstances. Part of the city will be flooded for two more weeks, but you remain hopeful that things are going to be all right for those folks.” One can only hope.

I Heard …

From Grayson Murray’s manager that the 23-year-old didn’t want to do one-on-one interviews during tournament week at the Dell Technologies Championship, which I get. Murray entered the second FedEx Cup playoff event ranked 70th in points, with the top 70 advancing to the third event, the BMW Championship. But eventually Murray had to talk based on his play at TPC Boston. With rounds of 68-68-67, the rookie found himself tied for fourth with a late tee time on Labor Day Monday. Although surrounded by major champions on the tee sheet, Murray was talking about not being scared of the moment, or scared of winning. Just like he wasn’t scared of winning on Sunday at the PGA Championship. “I legitimately had a chance at Quail [Hollow] this year in the PGA,” Murray said. “It wasn’t because I was nervous. It just got caught up with bad driving.”

Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

Nothing seems to have caught up with him at the Dell. He’s played his last 22 holes in eight under and was four-of-five scrambling on Sunday. For someone better known for his social-media rants at the beginning of the year, and later for his anxiety and depression issues, Murray is becoming identified more for his golf since winning the Barbasol Championship in July, the same week as the Open Championship. He has not tweeted since the day after the Barbasol, thanking his mother and father for all they sacrificed so he could pursue his dream. That dream could lead to East Lake for the Tour Championship and possibly Rookie of the Year honors depending on how it plays out the remainder of the playoffs. “If my season ends right now, I’ve had a great year,” Murray said. “I don’t put any pressure on me. But obviously the goal is to get to East Lake.”

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PGA Championship 2017: Grayson Murray starting to make headlines for the right reasons

Golf Digest Middle East — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 07:31:07 +0000

By Dave Shedloski
Appearing in his first major championship as a professional barely fazed Grayson Murray. Then again, very little fazes Grayson Murray, at least on a golf course.

Exceedingly talented but with a tempestuous streak, Murray continued to make news solely with his game by opening the 99th PGA Championship Thursday with a three-under-par 68 at Quail Hollow Club. Playing in the morning wave, the PGA Tour rookie from nearby Raleigh, N.C., had a share of the clubhouse lead until Thorbjorn Olesen snuck in with a 67.

Murray, 23, covered his inward nine holes in a tidy 32 strokes in front of family and friends who made the trek from Raleigh. The performance was largely mistake-free as he hit 15 greens in regulation and needed just 25 putts on the slick Quail Hollow greens.

“I’m very pleased,” Murray said. “There’s no letup out there. Every hole is a tough hole. You have soft fairways and hard greens, so it’s set up about as tough as it can be. I played about as good as I could play.”

Of late, his good play has been exceptional, highlighted by his come-from-behind win in the Barbasol Championship last month in Alabama. Because the Barbasol Championship is played opposite the British Open, Murray’s victory hasn’t garnered a lot of attention, which is fine for a player who had been making news earlier this year for some off-course missteps.

That win, in just his 23rd PGA Tour start, earned him entry to the final major of the season, and although he had never played Quail Hollow despite his North Carolina roots, Murray made himself right at home.

“Honestly, that win took a lot of nerves off. I’m freewheeling it now,” Murray said. “I’m not going to put any pressure on myself now. I know I have the game to win. It’s just a matter of putting together four rounds because that’s what it takes when you play in the majors. You can’t just have one round or you will drop way down.

All the world class players are here, so I’ll have to play my A-plus game probably right now to win, where some guys may be able to play their B plus and win. Hopefully I’ll be at that stage of my career soon.”

When it comes to golf, Murray always has been a quick learner. He won the Calaway Junior World Championships three straight years starting in 2006, and in 2009, at age 15, he qualified for the U.S. Open. In 2010, after qualifying for the Rex Hospital Open on the Web.com Tour by winning the Rex Hospital Junior Invitational, he shot a second-round 66 to make the cut.

He turned professional in 2015 after bouncing around at three colleges and won in just his third start on the eGolf Tour in Kannapolis, N.C. He began 2016 with just conditional status, but won the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship during the Web.com Tour playoffs to finish as the leading money winner in the series.

His initial PGA Tour season was marked with frustration until he made a series of changes, some not necessarily by his own choice. In March at the Arnold Palmer Invitational he added former SMU golf coach Josh Gregory to his team. Micah Fugitt, who caddied for Billy Horschel during his FedEx Cup title run in 2014, picked up Murray’s bag at the AT&T Byron Nelson in mid-May. That was after Mike Hicks put down Murray’s bag and walked off the course mid-round at the Wells Fargo Championship — which was moved from Quail Hollow to Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington this year to accommodate this week’s PGA.

Murray, who as a youngster attended the Wells Fargo as a spectator, missed eight of 11 cuts to start his season. He has missed just two since, wrapped around his Barbasol triumph.

“My team is definitely stronger,” Murray said. “I have to give them a lot of credit.”

“It’s all about structure for Grayson,” said Gregory, who hooked up with Murray via recommendations from former SMU players Colt Knost and Kelly Kraft. “He needed coaching as opposed to instruction. He needed a plan for everyday how to get better. He’s a bomber with a lot of talent, but attitude got in his way a little bit. You know, he runs hot and he runs cold. He’s been through some rough patches, but he’s turned the corner. He’s more of a complete player instead of just a bomber.”

Diagnosed with social anxiety, Murray certainly has faced his share of personal adversity. Earlier this year he was known more for his outspoken blasts on social media. But he’s never been afraid to express an opinion or carve his own path, which is how he buzzed through Wake Forest, East Carolina and Arizona State without ever finding a comfortable college home. That’s when he decided to turn pro.

“My last two years, year and a half, have gone by fast,” he said, shaking his head.

Indeed. A lot has changed. And some things haven’t.

“I’ve always had confidence,” he said bluntly. “But getting that win . . . I’m excited where my game is headed and to take these next couple years, looking forward to trying to be a world-class kind of player.”

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PGA Championship 2017: Kevin Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen tied for first-round lead

Golf Digest Middle East — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 06:25:54 +0000

By Christopher Powers
As far as PGA Championships go, the hype surrounding the 99th edition at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte was as big as it’s been in some time. Can Jordan Spieth complete the career Grand Slam? Will Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson or Jason Day find form and win the final major of the season?

Instead, the golf course was the story on Thursday, yielding just 24 rounds under par in the field of 155 players. Two of them belonged to Kevin Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen, who each posted four-under 67s and lead by one. Spieth opened with a one-over 72.

Olesen, 27, went off in the morning and made six birdies and two bogeys to post his 67, and it seemed like only a matter of time before someone would catch him. About five hours later, Kisner was the only one who did, rolling in his sixth birdie putt of the day on the 494-yard par-4 18th. The pair played the Green Mile (holes 16-18) one under combined.

Olesen, a European Tour player from Denmark, has played in just four PGA Tour events this season, with his best finish (T62) coming at the Open Championship. He’s played well on the Euro Tour though, making 14 of 15 cuts and registering four top-10s. It’s his fifth appearance at the PGA Championship, an event he’s made the cut in three times.

For Kisner, it’s his third start at the PGA Championship, where he’s missed the cut and finished T-18 last season at Baltusrol Golf Club.

Five players carded three-under 68s, including U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka, who went out on the back nine in even par 36, but made four birdies and a bogey coming in to get within a stroke of the lead. It should come as no surprise Koepka is once again at the top of the leader board in a major championship. In 16 appearances at majors he has a victory, four top-fives and six top-10s.

Gary Woodland, Grayson Murray and D.A. Points are also at three-under.

Rickie Fowler is among a group of seven players at two under after shooting a 69 that featured a triple-bogey on the par-4 fifth. The four-time tour winner bounced back strong after the “mental mistake” as he called it, making four birdies and just one bogey on his final 13 holes.

Hideki Matsuyama, Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm and Jason Day each posted one-under 70s and are just three back.

For Rory McIlroy, who posted a one-over 72, as well as Spieth, it wasn’t what they envisioned, but they are still in the mix, five shots off the leaders.

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