Grayson Murry Charts His Course One Hole At A Time

Teen golfer Grayson Murray is the real deal. The 15-year old is just a freshman at Leesville Road High School, but those "in the know" will say that Murray is already a force to be reckoned with. Here's a guy who doesn't even have his driver's license yet, but he and his idol, Tiger Woods, already have something in common. Both are "three-peats" in the Callaway Golf Junior World Golf Championships. Murray has competed in the Junior Worlds exactly three times, and one could say he's won his age group every chance he had. Woods went on to win a fourth, and Murray's got his sights set on going four for four this summer too. "Grayson is very talented and he's been exciting to follow the last several years," said Megan Mahoney, executive director of the San Diego Junior Golf Association, and who puts on the Junior World Championships. "Winning a Junior World Championship once is quite an achievement, but to do it three consecutive years puts him in another league." Murray's dad, Eric, remembers the early years when he wanted to encourage his son's talent but didn't want to over reach his expectations. "At our first World Championship, Grayson overheard me say that I hoped he would finish in the top 20," Eric Murray said. "He came up to me and said, 'Dad, I didn't come all the way out here (to San Diego) to finish in the top 20. I came out here to win.'" That winning attitude has charted Murray's course since he was seven. And what would make a seven-year-old boy interested in golf? His older brother, of course. "My brother started taking lessons at a driving range, and I saw golf on TV so I started swinging, and I guess I had natural talent," Murray said. His brother, Cameron, 23, no longer plays. "The first time I beat him, he quit," Murray said. "I guess I was about eight or so." By the time Murray was nine, he had moved on from beating his big brother, to shooting in the 70s and beating most of the competition in various junior golf tournaments. At age 13, he won a regional 16-19 age group tournament by shooting a flawless 63 on a TPC course in Virginia Beach on a day when the wind was blowing 30 miles per hour and no other golfer on the course was able to break par. Last October, Murray won the Wildwood Green Club Championship in Raleigh by 22 strokes. Murray's outstanding play has earned him a first team spot on North Carolina's All-State Golf Team. He grins when he describes the two holes-in-one he has shot: one at Wildwood when he was 12, and the other on a course he can't remember in Alabama. His year round coach, Carolina Country Club's Head Golf Professional, Ted Kiegel, marvels at Murray's talent. "I have coached Grayson since he was nine. He's probably doubled in size since then, and he can now hit tee shots twice as far," Kiegel said. "Coaching him has been a wonderful journey." Webb Simpson is a talented golfer who played for Broughton High School, went on to play for Wake Forest University and is now making a name for himself in the PGA. "I also coached Webb, starting when he was about nine," Kiegel said. "I never thought I'd see another young golfer as gifted as Webb, and now Grayson is equaling Webb in every way." Murray wants to follow Simpson to Wake Forest. After college, he'll try to make it in the PGA. Murray's most prized possession came to him on his 15th birthday. Thanks to a family friend, Tiger Woods found out about Murray's accomplishments, and wrote him a letter wishing him a happy birthday and telling him to "keep up the good work." Murray has learned mental strength by watching Woods. "I get nervous, but in a good way," he said. "If you don't get nervous, it shows you don't care." He also knows that if he keeps his composure in check, he can focus more on his game. "If I am down, I know that as long as there are still holes to play on the course, there's still a chance of winning," he said. High school golf's nine-hole format proves challenging to an athlete who is used to playing 54-hole tournaments. Every shot counts, and this challenge is one reason Murray wants to play high school golf. He also wants to experience being part of a team. "All of the good players play on their high school teams," he said. "It's a fun experience. I want to win state championships for myself and for my school." Even at a young age, Murray is willing to dispense advice to other teens who want to excel in their sports. "If you like your sport, work hard; it will take you a long way," he said. Grayson Murray follows his own advice. Remember his name.