Family of Sony Open champion honors late golfer in Hawaii
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - As the 2025 Sony Open tees off this week at Waialae Country Club, the tournament is honoring its reigning champion.
Grayson Murray passed away last May at the age of 30.
An emotional, private ceremony was held Tuesday morning to honor Murray with his immediate family and friends in attendance.
“That meant so much this morning,” Grayson’s father, Eric Murray, told Hawaii News Now. “It was very, very painful, but it was the kind of pain that, it was the kind of emotion that just made you want to be proud that this was the place that he won last.”
The Sony Open was a signature moment for Murray in more ways than one. It marked his second PGA Tour victory, but it also signified a big step in his sobriety.
He spoke candidly about his struggles with alcoholism, anxiety and depression.
“To be out here and win the tournament last year, he was just so thrilled and so proud of what he had accomplished,” Grayson’s mother, Terry Murray, said, “because of all the obstacles and and things that he had overcome.”
Grayson said he got sober in 2023 and his win at Waialae last year was a reflection of his personal battles as he fought to maintain the lead in the final round, eventually forcing a playoff.
He sunk a 38-foot putt to etch his names in the history books.
“I think a lot of things are going right in my life right now and I’m at peace,” Murray told reporters back in 2024 following his win. “I hope I can inspire a lot of people going forward that have their own issues.”
Now his parents are carrying on the legacy of their late son.
“Grayson left us with something that now, it’s up to us to carry forward.” Eric Murray said.
The Murrays are launching the Grayson Murray Foundation, which looks to help people who are struggling with the same battles Grayson faced, while sharing an enduring message of love and compassion.
“I would like for us to build the foundation of an enduring charity, one that can live on,” foundation president Jeff Maniss said.
“The one thing we hope people remember too is be kind to one another,” Terry Murray said.
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