Professional golfer Grayson Murray has died aged 30, the PGA Tour has said.
The American, a two-time tour winner who was ranked number 58 in the world, withdrew in the second round of a competition in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday, citing an illness.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said “we were devastated to learn and are heartbroken to share” that Murray had died on Saturday.
“I am at a loss for words,” he added.
“The PGA Tour is a family, and when you lose a member of your family, you are never the same. We mourn Grayson and pray for comfort for his loved ones.”
Mr Monahan said he had spoken to Murray’s parents to offer his condolences and they asked that the tournament continue.
“They were adamant that Grayson would want us to do so,” he said. “As difficult as it will be, we want to respect their wishes.”
Murray had been open about his battles with anxiety and depression. In January, he said he had sought treatment in the past few years for alcohol abuse but had been sober for several months.
He won the Sony Open at Honolulu in January, ending a six-year winless drought.
Grayson Murray after winning the Sony Open in January. Pic: AP
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English golfer Luke Donald was among those to pay tribute to Murray.
Donald posted on X: “Truly devastating news that Grayson Murray has passed away.
“He asked me for some advice on how to play Augusta a few months ago, last week I saw him at the PGA Championship, life truly is precious. My condolences and prayers to his whole family that they may find some peace.”
Murray, from Raleigh, North Carolina, won his first PGA Tour title, the Barbasol Championship, in 2017.
He was a three-time winner of the Callaway Junior Championships and played in the US Open for the first time in 2013 as an amateur.
His best result in a major was a tie for 22nd at the 2017 PGA Championship.
