This article is part of our Weekly PGA Recap series.
You'll have to trust us on this, as there probably weren't many watching the Sony Open playoff opposite the much-anticipated start of the Rams-Lions game. But the regulation finish and ensuing three-man playoff were pretty dang exciting.
What made it just a little more exciting was a player used to being in the middle of things, though not usually on the course and usually for all the wrong reasons. That would be the outspoken Grayson Murray.
The controversial journeyman hit a brilliant wedge to birdie the 18th hole to get into the playoff, then drained a 40-footer for birdie on the first extra hole to stun Keegan Bradley and Byeong Hun An and capture the Sony Open -- by far the biggest moment of his career. At least on the course.
Murray is only 30 but seemingly on his third or fourth golf lifetime, one that saw him lose his Tour card multiple times and fall into the 600s in the world rankings -- and not that long ago. But he seemingly has overcome his demons, winning twice on the Korn Ferry Tour last year, and now he has his first win on the PGA Tour since 2017 when he won the alternate-field Barbasol as a 23-year-old rookie with not a care in the world.
A lot has happened to Murray since then.
Here's just a sampling (there's too much to mention): He announced in 2021 that he was an alcoholic, and he did so in tandem with calling out the Tour for not helping him. He's also talked of anxiety and depression. A year later, he was part of bizarre social media dustup with Kevin Na. Murray was back at it last year riling the Tour again. He complained about all the changes being made to the benefit of the top players (he felt) and called for Commissioner Jay Monahan's resignation. That was quite a proclamation from a player at the time ranked in the 200s OWGR. That led to another public exchange, this time with Rory McIlroy in which the world No. 2 told Murray to "just play better."
Murray has done just that, obviously.
He was quite emotional in an on-course interview on Golf Channel immediately he won, and it was evident that all the controversies had taken their toll.
"It's not easy, you know. I want to give up a lot of times, give up on myself, give up on the game of golf, give up on life at times."
In the current gold landscape, there aren't many wins more career-altering than Murray's at the Sony. He'll of course get into THE PLAYERS, the Masters, the PGA Championship and Kapalua next year. But he'll also get into the seven remaining Signature events, giving him a springboard to make a run at the Tour Championship.
Murray was ranked 132nd in the world coming in – a huge leap thanks to the two KF wins. The Sony win vaulted him all the way to 36th, by far the highest standing of his career.
"There are days where I didn't want to get out of bed. I just thought I was a failure," Murray said, talking about when he was at his low point. "I always looked at myself as a failure. I thought I had a lot of talent that was just a waste of talent.
"It was a bad place, but like I said, you have to have courage. You have to have the willingness to keep going. Lo and behold, that's what I did, and I'm here, and I'm so blessed and I'm thankful."
As feel-good as Murray's win is, this moment is so life-altering for him – so life-affirming – that we think that Murray will need some time to settle down. He should not be in your DFS or betting thoughts for at least the next few weeks, maybe longer.
MONDAY BACKSPIN
Keegan Bradley
Bradley was the best golfer in the playoff and the most experienced playing in playoffs. But it's hard to win on Tour, even in a three-man playoff. He was bidding for his second win in seven months and third in 15 months. After a great 2023 that many thought should have netted him a Ryder Cup berth, Bradley is off a great start in 2024. He's No. 16 in the world and a move back into the top-10 is not out of the question.
Byeong Hun An
An has now finished as the solo fourth and playoff loser in the first two events of the year. He debuted a new, long putter last week, and it's working. He ranked 23rd in the Sony in Strokes Gained: Putting, although he missed a three-footer to stay in the playoff. Just about everything else in his game is rock solid, so if the putting is sustainable, the 32-year-old An's first career PGA Tour win could happen. As it is, An is up to No. 39 in the world.
Russell Henley
Henley more than anyone else may have given this tournament away. He had the lead for a big chunk of the back nine -- he was one of two players not in the playoff to get to winner score of 17-under at some point in the tournament. But the former Sony champ missed a short par putt on 16, then he failed to birdie the short, must-birdie par-5 18th. He missed the playoff by one in a tie for fourth. Henley is always a good play at Waialae, and at just about every course that rewards accurate drives. The top-5 moved him to a career-best 22nd in the world rankings.
Carl Yuan
Yuan famously was the biggest beneficiary of Jon Rahm going to LIV (other than Rahm). When the Spaniard bolted, Yuan moved from 126th to 125th in the point standings, thus keeping his playing privileges. Given the reprieve, he had a career-best T4 at the Sony, though at one point had the lead at 17-under. The 26-year-old Chinese was a Tour rookie last year and, while has shown promise, its too soon to think Yuan might rise beyond his current level.
J.T. Poston
Poston finished solo sixth with the round of the tournament, a 9-under 61 on Sunday. He's now finished fifth and sixth in his two starts, is up to a career-high 36th in the world rankings and, with his putter, a threat to win on Tour almost any week.
Matthieu Pavon
The Frenchman earned his card as one of the 10 DP World Tour players to graduate to the PGA Tour at last season's end, and he's the first one to notch a top-10 under the new setup. Pavon is more than a decent player. He won the Spanish Open last year and is a top-100 player. Actually, his tie for seventh at the Sony moved him to a personal best of 77th OWGR.
Eric Cole
Two tournaments into 2024, two top-15s for Cole, including his tie for 13th at the Sony. Until we see his game turn wrong, we're gonna plan on him to continue to play like a player moving toward the top-25 in the world rankings.
Akshay Bhatia
Bhatia was another guy who opened the season with a new, longer putter. He tied for 13th a week after tying for 14th. He ranked 42nd in the Sony field in SG: Putting, and you'd probably need to do better than that most weeks to contend for a title.
Chris Kirk
Kirk couldn't complete the Hawaii double, but a week after winning the Sentry he tied for 18th at the Sony in a pretty solid week.
Stewart Cink
Cink seems determined to play both the PGA and Champions Tours, and weeks like in Honolulu will only help. He tied for 24th.
Ryo Hisatsune
The 21-year-old from Japan tied for 30th in just his seventh PGA Tour event. He's one of the 10 DP World Tour players who got PGA Tour cards.
Ludvig Aberg
Aberg added a tie for 30th to his year-opening T47 at the Sentry. Experience matters at Waialae, and the 25-year-old Swede didn't have any. Regardless, we're thinking it's time to pump the brakes at least a little on Aberg's rise to top echelon of the game. It's hard to crack the top-10 fast.
Maverick McNealy
On the comeback trail from injury, this was just McNealy's third tournament back after two in the fall. He made the cut and tied for 57th.
Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama tied for 30th but the notable piece of information is that he fell out of the top-50 for first time since he arrived more than a decade ago in 2013.
Joel Dahmen
Dahmen was the darling of social media on Friday night, when he missed a 5-footer for birdie on his final hole, keeping the cutline at 2-under instead of moving it to 3-under. That would've knocked out 17 golfers. Dahmen wound up T72, and most of those 17 passed him.
Parker Coody
Coody, half of the twin Coody brothers now on Tour, tied for 74th. His more accomplished brother, Pierceson, missed the cut.
MISSED CUTS
Lots of big names: Matt Fitzpatrick, Sahith Theegala, Matt Kuchar, Will Zalatoris, Gary Woodland, Justin Suh, Lucas Glover, Adam Hadwin, Kevin Kisner, Adrien Dumont de Chassart and Pierceson Coody. Woodland completed two rounds about four months after brain surgery but missed the cut. Under the circumstances, he looked fantastic.
DP WORLD TOUR
The Tour kicked off in Dubai. Tommy Fleetwood birdied the final two holes but also benefited from Rory McIlroy's late implosion to win the Dubai Invitational by one stroke and move to 11th in the world. It's the seventh DP World Tour win for the non-PGA Tour winner. Meanwhile, McIlroy three-jacked from two feet on 14 for a bogey, then found the water on 18 for another. He lost by a shot.
