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2021 Catio Tour with Portland Audubon and Feral Cat Coalition

Calling all cat lovers! If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your cat’s living space, this is the event for you. The Portland Audubon and Feral Cat Coalition are hosting the annual Catio Tour, showcasing creative and unique catios from around the Portland area.

First things first. What’s a catio? It’s an outdoor cat enclosure, or cat patio, that provides feline safety and enrichment in your backyard. They have become so popular among the cat-loving community in Portland that there are enough to make this tour an annual event.

The 2021 Catio Tour is had both in-person and virtual options showcasing creative and unique designs for all different types of spaces.

The tour is part of Portland Audubon and the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon’s Cats Safe at Home campaign, which seeks to reduce the number of cats living outdoors in the Portland area in a humane and environmentally responsible manner. The Catio Tour was created to offer inspiration for people who are looking for ways to give their cats safe outdoor time.

The 2021 Catio Tour is taking place on September 11. Here are the two ticket options. Registration is non-refundable.

2021 Catio Tour Tickets

In-person tour.

Take a self-guided tour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Catio Tour features eight catios in Portland and one in Vancouver. You can start at any location. Volunteers will be at each location to check you in. Catio hosts will be onsite to answer construction questions and resident cats will be there to model their catios.

A week before the event you will receive an emailed copy of the 2021 guidebook about the catios, including quick facts, materials and cost. 

Registration is $10 per person. Kids 12 and under are free with discount code CATIOKIDS. In-person tickets close September 8.

Online Video Tour

You can enjoy all the catios from the comfort of your home. Get access to all the professionally created videos with homeowner interviews. You’ll also get photos and 360-degree images.

The virtual catio tour is $15. The video collection will be available September 11 through December 2021.

To purchase your tickets, visit the Catio Tour website .

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At a Loss This Weekend? May We Suggest a Catio Tour?

By Portland Monthly Staff September 10, 2021

See how fun this is? 

Image: Courtesy Courtesy SariMe/Shutterstock

Who run the world? Cats. And to prove our point, without saying a single gosh dang word, cats can persuade their owners to spend hundreds, even thousands, of dollars on cat patios, or “catios.”

Luckily, if you’re looking for catio inspiration for your own furry friend, you need look no further than the annual Catio Tour, hosted by the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon and  Portland Audubon . For the past nine years, the Catio Tour has been seeking to inspire cat owners to build or buy their own outdoor cat enclosures to ensure their cats enjoy safe outdoor time while also protecting the many backyard birds that populate the Portland area. While in person registration has closed for this year’s event, happening September 11, a virtual tour option is still available.

So, you might ask, what is a catio exactly? While these  can come in many sizes and shapes, from DIY to designer, these outdoor cat enclosures—cat patios=catios, if you need the etymology—are meant to keep both cats and other wildlife safe, offering outdoor time for cats and while protecting them from disease, predators, traffic, and other environmental hazards. 

The US Fish and Wildlife Service cites cats among the top threats to US birds , killing an average of 2.4 billion birds each year. And according to Cats Safe at Home , an outreach effort that seeks to reduce the number of cats living outdoors in the Portland metropolitan area, around 40 percent of the 3,000 animals brought to the Audubon Society of Portland’s Wildlife Care Center receive their wounds from cats and of those wounded, only around 16 percent survive.

In conclusion: while catios are indeed spoiling your already-spoiled but so deserrrrrrving feline friend, these outdoor enclosures do plenty to protect birds and wildlife around the area. And they make for happy cats. Win! 

Catio Tour 2021

September 11, in-person tour registration is closed, but the online tour is still available, $15

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10th Annual Catio Tour preview

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From left to right: Rick Orozco, Debbie Orozco, and Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon Executive Director Karen Kraus stand in front of the Orozcos’ catio in Southwest Portland.

Photo by PDXtoday

Tucked into a backyard deep in Southwest Portland is an outdoor oasis of every cat’s wildest dreams. Fresh-flowing water tinkles softly from small fountains, cat-safe ferns + zebra grass bend in the summer breeze, and a tall cactus skeleton waits to be climbed .

Welcome to Rick + Debbie Orozco’s backyard catio , which you can visit yourself next month.

The evening vibes at “Le Chateau” are stellar. | Photo by Rick + Debbie Orozco.

What’s a catio, you ask? It’s technically an outdoor enclosure for felines — but if you ask Rick and Debbie, they’ll tell you how it can be so much more . They built their catio from scratch for their cats Otto, Cosmo + Nanala. The octagonal structure attaches to their house via fully enclosed wire tunnels and features a dedicated kitty restroom called the “bac de litière.” Their catio also provides a communal space for humans to enjoy , with patio furniture, bamboo screens for privacy and shade, and market lights for evening ambience.

Rick + Debbie’s catio is part of the upcoming 10th Annual Catio Tour . The one-day self-guided tour features 10 distinct outdoor cat enclosures across Portland, showcasing a range of designs and budgets to fit any need.

The tour is the result of a rather interesting but purrfect partnership between the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon (FCCO) + Portland Audubon . It was created to inspire cat owners to build or buy an outdoor enclosure to protect their pets from things like busy streets + predators, while simultaneously protecting wildlife from cats .

Nanala explores Rick + Debbie’s island-themed catio in Southwest Portland. | Photo by PDXtoday

“[The tour] is about meeting people where they are and encouraging people to keep considering the health and wellbeing of their cat and our natural landscape at the same time,” said FCCO Executive Director Karen Kraus. “This is Catio Capital — we know of 900 catios in the Portland metro area , so it’s working.”

This year’s Catio Tour takes place in-person and online Sat., Sept. 10 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tickets are $15 or $100 for a VIP package, with proceeds benefiting the Cats Safe at Home campaign.

10th Annual Catio Tour Shows Off Creativity

The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon and Portland Audubon present the 2022 Catio Tour with three options to participate: in-person, online videos and a special VIP package. The tour includes a variety of catios, some are pandemic projects, some are updates of catios that have been on previous tours and now updated and some are Backyard Habit certified. There’s inspiration for everyone and crafty, creative, clever solutions to fit any budget and space.

The event takes place across the Portland metro area (on both sides of the Willamette) Saturday, September 10, 10 am-2 pm. Those selecting the in-person option will receive a guidebook with catio details, including quick facts with materials and costs, for the 10 catios featured. During the self-guided tour, participants will have the opportunity to meet the homeowners and ask questions about the experience of adding a catio to their home, including the all-important notes about what they would do differently. Catio locations will be grouped into two areas of the metro area. 

If you prefer to enjoy the catios from the comfort and safety of your home, at your own pace, the online option is the way to go. Professionally created videos of the catios, including homeowner interviews, 360-degree images giving you a cats’ eye perspective, and photos will be available. Online viewers will have access until at least the end of December and can be viewed it as many times as you would like.

Finally, for those who want it all, the VIP package gives people both the in-person and online benefits, access to a bonus catio, pre-event gathering with coffee and treats, a catio tour t-shirt, swag bag and more. 

Raffle tickets are also being sold with the chance to win a 5’ x 5’ x 30” portable wire catio, $250 Visa gift card or $50 gift card to the ReBuilding Center.

Proceeds support the organizations’ Cats Safe at Home campaign which aims to reduce free-roaming cats in the Portland metro area with solutions that are good for both cats and wildlife. 

Tickets for both the in-person and online option are $15 (children under 12 free) and VIP packages are $100; visit catssafeathome.org/catio . There are a limited number of in-person tour tickets so people are encouraged to purchase them early. 

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science environment

Portland's unique 'cat partnership' has started a movement nationwide.

Carma Crimins was driving down a street in a Southeast Portland when she noticed a few stray cats near an old building. The next day she went back and to her surprise a few cats turned into 50 feral cats.

"And I couldn’t figure out where are they coming from? There’s no houses — this is totally industrial— these cats are clearly not tamed," Crimins said. "I’m not going to be able to touch them, what am I going to do?"

Fencing kept Crimins from trying to rescue the cats. So she slid a plate filled with cat food under the fence.

Carma Crimins is standing outside the area where she first saw a family of stray cats. She was able to rescue 50 feral cats from this location.

Monica Samayoa

"And I then I went back the next day and I would pull it out and put food in and everyday they were there and everyday there was more of them," Crimins said.

After some research, she found out about a group called the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon. Its mission is to reduce the population of stray and feral cats by trapping them, neutering them, and if it can’t be tamed or adopted, returning them to the wild, so to speak.

Crimins eventually became a volunteer with the coalition.

This summer it reached a big milestone when the number of neutered cats reached 100,000 .

Boo is the Feral Cat Coalition's 100,000th neutered cat. He was helped on 07/19/19.

Photo Credit: Kathi Lamm

Cat lovers consider this Trap Neuter and Return Method an ethical alternative to euthanizing stray and feral cats.

But not everyone agrees that's the best approach to feral cats. Across the country, bird advocates are in conflict with feral cat groups over this matter. One side wants to put feral cats back on the streets — the other side says that just puts more wildlife in mortal danger.

"And that's where the debate has really sat as to whether we should do this trap, neuter, and return, and whether it's an effective strategy," said Bob Sallinger, director of Conservation at Portland Audubon. Its  Wildlife Care Center treats about 3,000 animals every year.

The number one cause of intake? Cat predation.

One recent study says feral cats have contributed to the extinction of 63 wildlife species worldwide.

Bob Sallinger is the Director of Conservation at the Audubon Society of Portland. He said the collaboration between the Audubon and the Feral Cat Coalition has been amazing.

For decades the dominant approach to reduce the feral cat population was to euthanize the cats.  Portland Audubon’s approach was simply telling people to keep their cats indoors.

But after reviewing decades of data on the practice, Sallinger decided that Portland  Audubon's method wasn't working. He wanted to find a new approach. That's when he learned about the Feral Cat Coalition.

"When I went to their website, what I saw was a mission statement that was almost identical to our goals around this issue, which is basically reducing the number of free-roaming cats in the environment," Sallinger said. "So I reached out to them and said, 'Maybe we have something in common here. Maybe we can work together."

Feral Cat Coalition's Executive Director Karen Kraus said partnering up with the Audubon was an immediate and natural connection as both groups care deeply about animals and want to make Portland safer for both the wildlife and for feral cats.

"Both groups could see where the overlap was and decided that working in that overlap together made us more powerful and better for the community than either one of us working on our own," Kraus said.

After conducting surveys with cat owners in the community a new outreach idea was created —the ' Cats Safe At Home ' campaign where the goal is to help educate cat owners about keeping their cats safely indoors to help reduce free-roaming cats, decrease the feral cat population and protect wildlife.

From this Kraus introduced Catios — a do-it-yourself outdoor enclosed safe space for domesticated cats.

"And it's funny for me because when I started this, when this idea was first brought up, Karen Kraus at the Feral Cat Coalition brought it up and I thought, "Yeah, that's a cool idea. That's kind of cute and fun. I'm not sure how effective it will be, but let's go ahead and do it." Sallinger said.

The concept was a big hit.

It motivated the cat community to safely keep their cats indoors while building them a safe space to enjoy the outdoors and also decrease the amount of free roaming and feral cats.

The self-guided catio tour is designed to educate the public on the importance of keeping cats safely indoors and showing them that catios can be built on any type of budget.

One of the many catios built in the Portland Metro area

Courtesy of the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon

The next catio tour is on Sept. 7. Every year the tour sells out, taking 1,300 animals lovers around the Portland Metro area to view 10 different catios— from extravagant builds like the “Taj Meow” to easy smaller enclosures that can be done on a low budget.

According to Kraus, after this year's event — 70 catios will have been showcased and 500 more can be found all over Portland.

Kraus said the success of the catio tour movement started within the first year, as nearly 700 people registered to attended and surveys taken at the event showed that 75% of people plan to build their own catio.

"We are showing that two groups that work on wildly different topics can find an area of overlap that really strengthens a message to the community in a way that you can't on your own," Kraus said.

Other cities around the nation have followed suit as Catio tours have popped up in Seattle , Austin , and Gainesville, Florida .

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Home / Events / Catio Tour 2022

September 10, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Catio tour 2022.

The 2022 Catio Tour on Saturday, September 10 will offer THREE options: In-Person catio visits, Online Videos, and a special VIP Package!

With crafty, creative, and clever solutions, these catios will give you great ideas that fit your budget and space. The 2022 Catio Tour includes a variety of catios: some are “pandemic projects”, a couple were previous Catio Tour sites that have changed over the years, and some are Backyard Habitat certified or working toward certification. Among them, there is some inspiration for everyone!

Generous sponsors include Catio Crafsman , Catio Spaces , Humane Society of the United States , Mr. Plywood , and CDE Animal Cages .

Hosted by the  Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon and Bird Alliance of Oregon, the self-guided tour seeks to inspire cat owners to build or buy their own outdoor cat enclosure so their felines can enjoy safe outdoor time. Backyard enclosures from frugal to fabulous keep cats safe from outdoor hazards while also protecting wildlife from cat predation.

Funds from the Catio Tour support the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s and Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon’s “ Cats Safe at Home ”™ campaign, which seeks to reduce free-roaming cats in the Portland metropolitan area with solutions that are good for cats and wildlife. Both organizations believe every cat deserves a safe home where it is loved, cared for and kept free from hazards. For more information about the campaign, visit  CatsSafeAtHome.org .

COST: In-Person & Virtual – $15.

BUY YOUR CATIO TICKET HERE!

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Portland, Oregon

The first ever catio tour was in 2013 and a collaboration between the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon and the Portland Audubon Society. Karen Kraus, who I call the godmother of catio tours, first developed the event to engage her community through her organization’s Cats Safe at Home program, a collaborative effort to humanely reduce free roaming pet, stray and feral cats in the Portland metro region. As the Director of the Feral Cat Coalition, Karen was looking for creative ways to encourage people to keep their cats safe at home. Tours were already a popular pastime in Portland, so the catio tour seemed like a natural fit.

“Catios are a fast-growing trend that benefit cats and wildlife. Catio tours are a great way to inspire the community to build or buy a catio for their cats that fits their space and pocketbook,” Karen says. “From simple to spectacular, there is no limit to what can be created. Plus, the tours are fun and a great way to spend time with other cat lovers!”.

Fort Catshop catio (left) and pampered felines in Portland enjoy leisure time during a catio tour.  Photo credit:  Portland Catio Tour

Other cities such as Austin, Santa Cruz and Vancouver, BC have recently jumped in on the trend and begun their own catio tours as well.  In fact, in 2015 Catio Spaces helped organize the first catio tour in Seattle together with PAWS and The Humane Society of the United States!

Seattle, Washington

Tabby Serena greets a tour guest from her Catnap Catio designed by Catio Spaces. Photo credit:  Catio Spaces

One of the joys of co-founding the Seattle catio tour is showcasing a variety of catios, from home-made to diy catio plans and professionally-built custom catios , with the goal of inspiring cat parents to build an outdoor haven for their own cats. There’s nothing better than seeing tour participants watch cats enjoying the wind in their whiskers and the stimulation of nature while safe outdoors. Another benefit? Proceeds from the tour support PAWS, one of our local animal welfare organizations.

“Catio Tour Seattle is an integral part of the PAWS Safe Cats, Healthy Habitats campaign, an effort to improve the health and lives of cats and wildlife in our community,” says Katie Amrhein, Education Programs Manager at PAWS and catio tour organizer. “We look forward to organizing the event each year to inspire cat parents to join the cat safety and enrichment trend that is here to stay.” PAWS also offers catio and wildlife classes throughout the year as part of their educational outreach program.

“Providing cats with outdoor access in enclosures ensures we are good cat owners and good neighbors. It means being responsible for wildlife, responsible for community space and responsible for the safety of our cats,” says Jennifer Hillman, VP Grassroots Outreach and Engagement with The Humane Society of the United States and tour co-founder. She advocates that, “Catios are a win for everyone.”

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Cats in Canada enjoy the high life with territorial views and birdwatching from their catios. Photo credit: Vancouver Catio Tour

“Cat guardians may feel like they don’t have the space or money to build a catio or that they can’t build a catio if they’re renters,” says Marieke van der Velden, Outreach Specialist of the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and catio tour organizer. “Catio tours present a wide range of sizes and types of catios that fit all budgets and living situations, including those in rentals that are easily removed when the tenant and cat move on.”

“We were inspired by the successful catio tours in Seattle and Portland and wanted to keep the momentum going up the West Coast. We hope that other communities in BC will follow suit and create their own catio tours in the coming years!”

Santa Cruz, California

Catio cat ambassadors greet guests during a catio tour in Santa Cruz, California. Photo credit: Santa Cruz Catio Tour

Catio tours in Santa Cruz began in 2016 with a partnership between Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter and Santa Cruz County Native Animal Rescue, a local agency that focuses on wildlife.

“In Santa Cruz County, everyone is aware of the dangers of coyotes and they worry for their cats,” says Erika Anderson, Program and Development Manager of Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter. “Hosting a catio tour is a simple and fun way to bring the community together around an important animal welfare topic. It engages people in a way that makes them think about how they are caring for their pets – and how that connects to local wildlife. It’s a great way to present people with a variety of ways that they can create a catio for their own cat at home!”

Austin, Texas

Surrounded by trees, this nature catio features a cat tunnel for adventurous cats in Austin, Texas. Photo credit: Jacob Smigel

The first Catio Tour in Austin, Texas took place in 2017. Caley Zuzula, Program and Education Coordinator of Travis Audubon says the tours have had a direct impact on the Austin community. “Free roaming cats and feral cats are responsible for killing billions of birds each year and our goal is to help conserve wild birds in their habitats. Catios are a win/win solution for cats to be safe from predators while outdoors, and to protect birds from predation by cats.”

As a result of their educational catio tours, Travis Audubon has seen tangible results in their community to help keep cats and birds safe. Many cat parents have been inspired and decided to build their own catio so the tours definitely make a difference.

Gainesville, Florida

A catio tour volunteer poses in front of Operation Catnip’s catio and home of kitty Cobra. Photo credit: Melissa Jenkins

Gainesville, Florida recently began their catio tour inspired by the Portland Catio Tour and initiated by Melissa Jenkins, Operations Coordinator at Operation Catnip. “After some discussion at county commission meetings, it was decided that a coalition would be made consisting of the Humane Society of North Central Florida, Operation Catnip and the Alachua Audubon Society, to work on ways to support keeping cats indoors and protecting wildlife. We thought the catio tour would be a great way to engage our community.”

Melissa also mentioned that many indoor cats are understimulated and behavior problems can arise from boredom. A catio is a fun and exciting way to give cats entertainment and mental exercise while safe outdoors!

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Small and stimulating catios provide fresh air and a catwalk in the “Alcatraz” catio. Photo Credit: Halifax Catio Tour

The first Canadian catio tour was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2018 and organized by the Tuxedo Party of Canada Cat Welfare Society. In addition to showcasing inspiring catios and happy cats for tour participants, volunteers sell popular handmade cat toys, the organization’s kitten calendar and raffle tickets. All proceeds support SpayDay HRM, a local registered charity.

Cindy Murphy, Treasurer for Tuxedo Party of Canada Cat Welfare Society and a member of the catio tour organizing committee, says they also have a Catio Tour Trivia Game with questions about each of the catio stops and prizes. What a fun day for cat lovers and cats in Halifax!  

Vashon Island, Washington

The Colorful Catio Menagerie in Vashon features 4 catios and 150’ of tunnels by Catio Spaces. Video Credit: Catio Spaces

A short ferry ride from Seattle, Vashon launched their first catio tour in September 2019. Jennifer Zeisig, inspired by the Seattle catio tour and a volunteer at Vashon Island Pet Protectors said, “We endeavored to show attendees a wide variety of catio types – from low cost to highly creative – so tour participants would be able to envision what might work for their own homes and cat situations.”

For their inaugural tour, Vashon Island Pet Protectors co-sponsored the event with other organizations including their local Audubon chapter, Vashon Nature Center, Catio Spaces and Vashon Adventures. For a fun way to get around the island, Vashon Adventures rented e-bikes for the bike-friendly catio tour!

And, of course, we can’t let the cats have all the fun.

Future Catio Tour in Sacramento, California

Enjoying a break during the Portland Catio tour are (left to right) Fauna Tomlinson, Project Coyote Program Associate; Cynthia Chomos, Founder Catio Spaces; Karen Kraus, Founder Portland Catio Tour; and Erin Hauge, Project Coyote Program Associate.

Representatives from Project Coyote, a national organization promoting compassionate co-existence between people and wildlife, and a member of Catio Spaces’ affiliate program , joined me for a fun getaway to the Portland Catio Tour to see a variety of catios and discuss planning a catio tour in Sacramento. We look forward to seeing this new tour launch in 2020!

As more organizations express interest in catio tours, I’ve created a Catio Tour Planner in collaboration with Karen Kraus, Portland Catio Tour, to assist animal welfare groups in organizing a tour in their city. The pdf download includes a step-by-step checklist for a successful event. We hope other cities will join the catio tour trend to bring cat lovers together to celebrate and educate their communities on the benefits of catios for cats and wildlife .

Is there a catio tour in your city?  See our Catio Tour Event Directory 

Do you want to learn more about catios and catio tours?

Cat parents.

• Are you considering a catio? Sign up for our  free catio tips !

• Do you already have a cool catio? Consider being a host on a tour near you!

Life is good in a catio!

Animal Welfare Organizations

• Do you already have a tour? Make sure you’re listed on our national Catio Tour Event Directory . Email us your tour information.
• Do you want to raise funds for your group while sharing the benefits of catios? Join our Affiliate Program !
• Do you want to learn more about catios and catio tours? See webinar “ Curious about Catios ” by The Humane Society of the United States.

Thank you for all the great work you do in your community!

Do you want to build a catio?

Catio Spaces offers a variety of DIY Catio Plans for a window, porch, patio, deck or yard.

Each plan is a PDF download that includes a material and tool list, step-by-step instructions and diagrams for a successful project. 

Not sure how to get started? Check out these free catio tips.

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Blue Lake Park reopens in Fairview

FAIRVIEW Ore. (KPTV) - Blue Lake Park reopened Friday, just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

The popular summer spot was closed to update the aging water and sewer systems. According to Metro, visitors will now be able to launch paddleboards, canoes, and other non-motorized watercraft onto the lake, which was previously prohibited.

The park was built in the 1930s. According to Metro, most of the structures were last updated in the 1960s.

“We heard from community members that access to the lake was important to them,” says Olena Turula, who is overseeing park renovations for Metro. “Earlier this year, after engaging with neighboring property owners, Metro updated park rules so we could offer ways to access the lake that are safe and equitable for all.”

Funding for the project comes from a bond passed in 2019 .

Blue Lake’s fishing pier will reopen later in June, with accessibility improvements and covered areas. More improvements are coming as well, which are scheduled to be completed in 2025. More information, as well as updates on the progress, are available here .

Copyright 2024 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.

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Grayson Murray’s parents say the two-time PGA Tour winner died of suicide

• Published: May. 26, 2024, 12:17 p.m.

A golf television broadcast is played at the broadcast tent showing a photo of Grayson Murray during the third round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, May 25, 2024. Two-time PGA Tour winner Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the tournament. (AP Photo/LM Otero) AP

• The Associated Press

Grayson Murray’s parents said Sunday their 30-year-old son took his own life, just one day after he withdrew from a PGA Tour event . The family asked for privacy and that people honor Murray by being kind to one another.

“If that becomes his legacy, we could ask for nothing else,” Eric and Terry Murray said in a statement released by the PGA Tour.

Murray, a two-time PGA Tour winner, spoke in January after winning the Sony Open in Honolulu about turning the corner in his life, his golf and battles with alcoholism and mental health. He died Saturday morning.

EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes a discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org .

Murray had to go through the Korn Ferry Tour to get his PGA Tour card back. And then he birdied the last hole at the Sony Open to get into a playoff, and made a 40-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole for an emotional win.

“It’s not easy,” Murray said immediately after winning. “I wanted to give up a lot of times. Give up on myself. Give up on the game of golf. Give up on life, at times.”

Murray tied for 43rd last week in the PGA Championship, which enabled him to hold his position among the top 60 to earn a spot in the U.S. Open next month at Pinehurst No. 2 in his native North Carolina.

He shot 68 in the opening round at Colonial. The next round, he was 5 over and coming off three straight bogeys when he withdrew citing an illness.

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said he spoke with Murray’s parents about halting play at Colonial and they insisted the golf tournament continue.

Monahan flew to Fort Worth, Texas, to be with players. Many of them wore black-and-red pins on their caps Sunday in honor of Murray. Those are the colors of the Carolina Hurricanes, his favorite NHL team.

“We have spent the last 24 hours trying to come to terms with the fact that our son is gone. It’s surreal that we not only have to admit it to ourselves, but that we also have to acknowledge it to the world. It’s a nightmare,” his parents shared in their statement.

“We have so many questions that have no answers. But one. Was Grayson loved? The answer is yes. By us, his brother Cameron, his sister Erica, all of his extended family, by his friends, by his fellow players and — it seems — by many of you who are reading this. He was loved and he will be missed.

“Life wasn’t always easy for Grayson, and although he took his own life, we know he rests peacefully now.”

Grayson was a raw talent after taking up golf at age 8. He won his age division three straight years at the prestigious Junior World Championship in San Diego. But he struggled to fit in at college, going to Wake Forest, East Carolina and then Arizona State.

His first coach was Ted Kiegel in North Carolina, who like so many others was devastated.

“Words cannot express the tragedy of this moment,” Kiegel said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. “Grayson came from something that was ordinary and made it EXTRAORDINARY. ... He burned bright for the 30 years he gave us.”

Murray won as a 22-year-old rookie at the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky, and frustration began to set in as he didn’t improve as quickly as others whom he routinely beat as amateurs.

He was always open about depression and anxiety, and his bouts with alcohol. One of his darker moments was at the Sony Open in 2021 when he was suspended for an incident in a Hawaii bar. Murray took to social media to say, “Why was I drunk? Because I’m a (expletive) alcoholic that hates everything to do with the PGA Tour life and that’s my scapegoat.”

He also accused the tour of not giving him proper help, which the tour denied.

Monahan said Saturday at Colonial that he called Murray right after that posting and subsequently spent a lot of time with him.

“I think one of the elements of his legacy is his resiliency,” Monahan said. “So you think of going back to 2017, winning the Barbasol Championship, going back and forth between the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA Tour. ... self-assessing, coming back, becoming in his own eyes a stronger human being, and then winning three times in the past year.

“To me, that’s a level of resiliency that is extraordinary.”

When he won on the Korn Ferry Tour last year, Murray talked about his parents having “been through hell and back basically for the last six years for me fighting some mental stuff.”

“Everyone has their battles,” Murray said a year ago. “Sometimes people are able to hide them and function, and sometimes you’re not. I think our society now is getting better about accepting that it’s OK to not be OK. I’ve embraced that mentality. I’m not ashamed that I go through depression and anxiety.”

He also used social media to reach out to others dealing with similar issues in a sport where losing takes place far more than winning.

Murray said in January after he won the Sony Open that he often felt like a failure who had wasted his talent.

“It was a bad place, but like I said, you have to have courage,” he said. “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.”

He saw that Sony Open victory — which got him into the Masters for the first time — as the start of a new chapter. He said he had become a Christian and was engaged to Christina Ritchie. He said in January the wedding had been planned for late April.

“My story is not finished. I think it’s just beginning,” Murray said in Hawaii. “I hope I can inspire a lot of people going forward that have their own issues.”

—The Associated Press

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