Murray death ‘puts everything in perspective’ – McIlroy

Rory McIlroy says the death of golfer Grayson Murray offers a reminder that the sport “pales in comparison” to what is most important in life.

Murray, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, withdrew from last week’s Charles Schwab Challenge event on Friday with illness, having played 16 holes of his second round.

The Tour announced on Saturday that he had passed away with the 30-year-old American’s parents later saying in a statement he had taken his own life.

“It’s incredibly sad, first and foremost, and I think we’re all thinking of Grayson’s family and hoping that they’re doing OK and getting through this incredibly tough period,” said McIlroy before the RBC Canadian Open.

“It’s a cliche, but it puts everything in perspective. At the end of the day golf is golf and, yeah, we play it for a living, but it pales in comparison to the things that actually matter in life.

“I’ve had to realise that at times and I’m still sort of working my way through that in terms of not making golf the be-all and end-all for me. I think it slaps you in the face when something like that happens last week.”

The four-time major winner said the “incredibly sad” news was a reminder that sportspeople are just as “vulnerable” as everyone else.

“It’s incredibly sad and everyone has to remember out here that we go out and we do things that a lot of people can’t, but at the end of the day we’re still human beings,” he said.

“We’re vulnerable and we’re fragile, and I think if there’s a lesson for anyone out there it’s just to be kinder to each other.”  – bbc.com