Two-time PGA winner Grayson Murray, who tragically died by suicide earlier this week, once thanked his fiancée Christiana Ritchie for helping him through his ‘struggles.’
The golfer was open about his battles with depression, anxiety and alcoholism, however he indicated that he was in a better place after winning the Sony Open in January.
‘I have a beautiful fiancée. I have beautiful parents. I have beautiful nephews, siblings,’ Murray told reporters after the tournament in Hawaii, noting he was eight months sober.
‘Everyone in my life right now who is close to me who has been through the struggles with me, it’s all a team effort. I’m not sitting here — I am sitting here alone, but all of them are part of this.’
Murray, who tragically passed away at age 30, proposed to Ritchie in December 2023.
The couple bonded over their shared love of golf and their Christian faith after meeting at the 2021 American Express tournament in Palm Springs.
‘She’s devoted her life to Christ, and I’ve devoted my life to Christ,’ he told Golf Monthly in January.
‘That’s what’s going to be first in our relationship going forward,’ he explained.
They were most recently spotted together at last month’s Masters, where Ritchie caddied for her world No 58 fiancé and showed off her impressive swing during the Par 3 contest.
Like Murray she was also an avid golfer, having played throughout her time at the University of Southern California, where she earned a Bachelor of Real Estate Development in 2018.
The sporting world was shocked when PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan confirmed the North Carolina native’s passing, less than 24 hours after withdrawing from the Charles Schwab Challenge in Texas.
His parents, Eric and Terry Murray, later confirmed that he had taken his own life.
‘We have spent the last 24 hours trying to come to terms with the fact that our son is gone,’ the family’s statement read. ‘It’s surreal that we not only have to admit it to ourselves, but that we also have to acknowledge it to the world. It’s a nightmare.
‘We have so many questions that have no answers. But one. Was Grayson loved? The answer is yes. By us, his brother Cameron, his sister Erica, all of his extended family, by his friends, by his fellow players and – it seems – by many of you who are reading this,’ they went on.
‘We would like to thank the PGA Tour and the entire world of golf for the outpouring of support. Life wasn’t always easy for Grayson, and although he took his own life, we know he rests peacefully now.’
For support call Samaritans on 116123 in the UK or visit www.samaritans.org, or the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline on 988 in the US.