Harry Higgs drained a 36-foot eagle on the second playoff hole to win the Visit Knox Open on the Korn Ferry Tour but while he made it back-to-back wins and looks set for a return to the PGA Tour, his mind couldn’t escape the late Grayson Murray.
Murray took his own life on Saturday aged just 30, sending shock throughout the golfing world.
Murray withdrew with two holes remaining of his second round at the Charles Schwab Challenge, citing illness, but his family confirmed on Sunday that he took his own life.
Higgs paid tribute to Murray in his winners press conference where he admitted to a sleepless night before the final round, he also gave an emotional speech in front of the spectators where he highlighted the importance of seeking help.
“My mind was wandering about what today could be, what the result of the day could be. Just laying there in bed taking some deep breaths,” said the 32-year-old.
“And then also had a brief moment of thought that yesterday was a difficult day for anybody that plays professional golf or anybody that came across Grayson. I just let my mind wander to what I might say to honor him. And I don’t pretend to be such an influence that I would be to honor, but I know he is somebody that had some mental health struggles, and there’s a lot of people that do. There’s a lot of people that don’t maybe reach out for help.
“I’m fortunate that I don’t have mental health issues other than getting frustrated on a golf course, and that stuff really doesn’t matter when you look at the bigger picture.
“So yeah, I just let my mind wander to how best to honor him and also, you know, try to get a message across that I’ve heard it before and people said it before, but it’s OK to not be OK, to reach out. And the world’s tough, man. It’s only getting harder and harder. Social media is awesome, but also a pain in the you-know-what. People can be mean.
“So I’m going to try myself — and I’m mean sometimes, too. I’m certainly not perfect, but I’m going to certainly try to live what I said, you know. Say something nice to a loved one and say something nice to somebody you don’t know and try to accomplish that daily. That will be part of my routine, part of the things that I can control outside the golf course and hopefully bring light to somebody that may be having a hard time.
“I don’t know. Again, I don’t pretend to be a super influence that matters, but if it does, I want to make a point to do that and hopefully make a difference in a few people’s lives over the course of however many years I have left on it crazy planet.”