Pro golfer Peter Malnati breaks down in tears as he discusses Grayson Murray’s death

Peter Malnati had an emotional reaction to the death of Grayson Murray during a recent interview.

The two-time PGA Tour winner died on Saturday, May 25 at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas.

Malnati spoke to CBS Sports on May 25 in the wake of Murray’s death, noting that he didn't know him “all that well” but got to spend the previous two days with him.

“It’s so funny, we get so worked up out here about a bad break here, good break there,” Malnati said, before he began tear up. “We’re so competitive out here. We all want to beat each other and then something like this happens and you realize we’re all just humans.”

Malnati paused as he broke down into tears before he continued the interview.

“It’s just a really hard day, because you look at Grayson and you see in him someone who has visibly, outwardly struggled in the past and he’s been open about it and you see him get his life back to a place where he’s feeling good about things,” he said. “It’s just so sad.”

While no cause of death has been shared at this time, Murray has previously experienced struggles with alcohol and mental health issues in the past.

After finding success early in his career, he faced struggles on the PGA Tour for several years before picking up several wins in 2023. His career had another turnaround back in January 2024 when he won the Sony Open in Hawaii that month.

Pro golfer Webb Simpson also spoke to CBS Sports, recalling the first time he met Murray when he was only 8 years old. They had met through their mutual swing coach, Ted Kiegiel, who ultimately shared news of Murray’s death with Simpson.

“Obviously, it was a huge shock. My heart sank,” Simpson said. “I’ve had a junior tournament for 14 years now, the Webb Simpson Challenge. He was the first ever winner. I remember that day like it was yesterday, when he got the trophy.”

Simpson said that he recognized that Murray “was going to be a great player from day one” and noted that they had “a great time together.”

“I just hate it. I hate it so much,” he said. “I’ve gotten to know him even better this year. We shared a meal together at Pebble Beach with his fiancée and I know she’s hurting and everyone associated with Grayson Murray is hurting.”

Murray’s death was announced in a statement by PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan on May 25.

“The PGA TOUR is a family, and when you lose a member of your family, you are never the same,” Monahan said in the statement. “We mourn Grayson and pray for comfort for his loved ones.”

Monahan spoke to Murray’s parents, who “asked that we continue with tournament play.” In the statement, the commissioner stated that grief counselors would be available at the upcoming PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour events.

In his interview with CBS Sports, Monahan remembered Murray as a “remarkable player” in addition to being “a very courageous man.”

“I’ve always loved that about him and I know that the locker room was filled with people that really will take that away when they think about Grayson,” Monahan said. “It’s our duty as an organization to be there for his family just as we’ll be there for each other, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com