Grayson Murray might be gone, but for friend and pro golfer Akshay Bhatia, he’s certainly not forgotten.
Ahead of this week’s RBC Canadian Open in Hamilton, Ontario, Bhatia, 22, inked his left wrist with “G$” to honor Murray, who Bhatia affectionately called “G-Money.”
Murray died by suicide at the age of 30 on Saturday, May 25.
Bhatia showed off the tribute via Instagram Stories before his opening round on Thursday, May 30. Alongside a picture of his wrist, Bhatia wrote: “Let’s ride today, G.”
“I’m playing for him this week, and every round I play for the next however long,” Bhatia said after his opening round on Thursday. “Yeah, he’s just with me all the time, and he meant a lot to me. Just happy and proud to wear Grayson’s name on my wrist.”
Bhatia admitted he had been struggling after Murray’s death, saying, “Oh, God, I didn’t think it would be this hard.”
“He’s one of my best buddies out here, grew up together,” Bhatia continued. “I looked up to him for a long time. I wish he was still here, but I know he’s here watching above everyone.”
Bhatia went on to note that his wrist tattoo was inspired by a strange coincidence in the lead-up to the tournament.
“I was driving yesterday, or a couple days ago, going back from dinner back to the hotel, and for whatever reason, I looked to the right, and there was a trash can with ‘G-money’ on it,” Bhatia explained. “Just freaky stuff happens like that where I know he’s with us.”
Despite the eight-year age gap between the golfers, Bhatia said Murray was a constant mentor for him on the course, especially in his earlier days.
“I just remember when I was 13, 14 years old, I’d see him on the putting green at our golf course, and I’d ask him what’s it like being on the PGA Tour. ‘It’s just so cool, right?’” Bhatia recalled. “And he was always like, ‘Dude, you’re going to be there. Trust me.’ I don’t know, he just always believed in me.”
Bhatia noted Murray’s candor about his struggles with mental health and alcoholism over the years and further expressed how Murray’s death has allowed him and his fellow golfers to come together.
“I think his story and everything that’s happened has really opened everyone’s eyes. It just doesn’t happen that often,” Bhatia said. “The amount of appreciation and just uplifting energy from everyone across the world and on the PGA Tour has been great for his family.”
He continued, “We’re grateful for that because sometimes you feel like no one really cares about you, but the fact that he’s touched this many people’s hearts, my heart, he’s made me just really open my eyes a little bit.”
