google kitchener tour

Tour Google Canada's gigantic new office

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lent his star power to help Google Canada open its new engineering office in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont., highlighting his government’s promise to invest in innovation, and infrastructure. The space boasts a climbing wall and a secret room. It will host more than 400 engineers working on hardware and software products for the global Internet giant. Google has been in the Kitchener-Waterloo area since 2005.

A group of junior code-makers take part in a virtual reality demonstration during the unveiling of Google's new Canadian engineering headquarters in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. Peter Power/Reuters

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, and Jennifer Flanagan, President and CEO of Actua, take part in a virtual reality demonstration at the new Google Canada Development headquarters in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press

Software engineer Dalya Gershtein scales the climbing wall at the new Google Canada office. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recounted how at a previous visit to Google’s Montreal office he rode a unicycle and tried a climbing wall, and regretted that kind of photo opportunity didn’t fit with “the stature that comes with my new job.” Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press

The library inside Google's new Canadian engineering headquarters in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. Peter Power/Reuters

Employees work in one of the many colourful areas of Google's new Canadian engineering headquarters. Peter Power/Reuters

An employee works on some hardware ideas in the Makers Lab of Google's new Canadian engineering headquarters. Peter Power/Reuters

A Google employee walks into a secret room behind the blue library. Google’s new office is the major tenant in a glass-and-steel building in downtown Kitchener, part of the redevelopment of a row of factories first built in 1902 and known as the Breithaupt Block. Peter Power/Reuters

Google has been in the Kitchener-Waterloo area since 2005 . Peter Power/Reuters

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau plays a game to officially launch Google's new Canadian engineering headquarters in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. Peter Power/Reuters

The U.S.-based company’s Canadian arm has signed a 10-year deal to occupy 185,000 square feet of the facility. Peter Power/Reuters

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It’s our biggest unboxing ever! Introducing Google Canada’s new engineering HQ

Jan 14, 2016

[[read-time]] min read

Back in 2005, a handful of Googlers opened a small office in Kitchener - our first foothold in what is now one of the most exciting tech ecosystems in North America. Today we opened the doors to our brand new space in the beautifully restored Breithaupt Block building in the heart of Kitchener-Waterloo. Over the years we have steadily expanded our investment in the region, and the ranks of Googlers in our Kitchener-Waterloo office have grown rapidly. Our new 185,000 sq feet headquarters will be home to over 350 engineers who work on products used by billions of people around the globe.

Google’s new office in Kitchener-Waterloo.

We were honoured to have Prime Minister Justin Trudeau join us to officially open the new office. Prime Minister Trudeau was taught how to create a “3D selfie” from a group of K-W’s passionate junior engineers who participate in Codemakers , a partnership between Google Canada and Actua that creates compelling and fun STEM learning modules for kids.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau conducts a quick VR tour of Parliament Hill as part of a Codemakers workshop at Google, alongside Jennifer Flanagan, Actua CEO.

And what would the opening of a Google office be without at least a one-confetti-cannon salute?!

Prime Minister Trudeau officially opens the new Google office with a bang.

Our Kitchener-Waterloo engineers play a critical role in many of Google’s core tools and products, including GMail, Google Fiber, the Chrome browser and Google Ads. Additionally, the team led a significant portion of the software development for the new OnHub router .

Google engineers based in Kitchener-Waterloo work on products that are used by billions of people around the world.

Over the past decade Google Canada has been an important contributor to the sustained growth of the Kitchener-Waterloo tech community and our investment in the dramatic transformation of the Breithaupt Block reflects our long-term commitment to growth in this region. The University of Waterloo is one of Google’s top schools for recruitment worldwide, and Kitchener-Waterloo is a major source of entrepreneurial computer science talent. Kitchener-Waterloo was recently named one of the 10 cities that will be part of Google’s North America Tech Hub Network , along with Montreal. The network provides financial support and the best of Google’s resources to startup communities that equip and nurture young and developing entrepreneurs.. We took a thoughtful approach to the design of our new office, considering sustainability not only in design but also with products and decor. In fact, we have applied for LEED V4 Gold certification for this office, which would make it the first building in Canada to receive LEED V4 status. Our design team has also incorporated features to promote both environmentally friendly and healthy choices, such as a bike locker to encourage Googlers to ride to work, a group fitness space and a rock climbing wall. And of course we’ve also included the fun stuff that everyone has come to expect from Google offices, including a meditation room, a Maker’s Lab, a games room and a Ping Pong table.

Our team has some of the brightest minds in Canadian science and technology working on a whole host of exciting projects here in Kitchener-Waterloo. We can’t wait to show you what we’re going to do next!

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Google to expand its Kitchener office and launches new startup accelerator

KITCHENER -- Google is expanding its Canadian operations with three new offices in Kitchener, Toronto and Montreal.

Currently the company’s largest Canadian office is in Kitchener’s Breithaupt Block, at the corner of Breithaupt Street and King Street West.

Google says it will become the flagship tenant once Phase 3 of the Breithaupt Block's construction is complete.

According to property developer Perimeter the office will be completed in late Fall 2021. The 11-storey and 300,000 square foot building will also be rated Class ‘A’ LEED Gold in terms of its environmental impact. Perimeter says the building will include a "stunning design, large outdoor terraces and public park."

The new office space will also house the tech giant’s first Canadian startup accelerator program.

The company says it currently has 1,500 employees in Canada and with the three new offices they expect that number to grow to 5,000 by the end of 2022.

It’s unclear how many of those new jobs will be in Kitchener.

“Today’s announcement signals to investors worldwide that Kitchener and Waterloo region’s tech sector and creative ecosystem is globally significant—able to support fast-growing and innovative companies like Google,” said Mayor Berry Vrbanovic in a statement. “The City of Kitchener is glad to celebrate the unprecedented growth of Google in our backyard and we look forward to supporting their continued success.”

Google says their new accelerator program will help Canadian startups grow, scale and achieve international success.

“As the Toronto-Waterloo corridor continues to be a global centre of tech talent and innovation, it’s the perfect place for us to expand our footprint, and help grow the next generation of founders in Canada,” said Steve Woods of Google Canada Engineering and Waterloo’s Site Lead.

Google’s accelerator program will officially begin in April 2020 . The company says it will consist of 8-10 startups with two cohorts every year, running for three months each. Startups will work with employees on “technical challenges and machine learning,” as well as mentorship. Applications for the inaugural cohort are due on March 2, 2020.

A mock-up of the Google's Kitchener building. (Provided by Google)

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Google Canada headquarters opens in Innovation District

From the Kitchener Rangers and Oktoberfest celebrations, to peameal bacon and the right to call yourself a Canoogler (Canadian Googlers), these are just some of the ways Google’s Kitchener-Waterloo location differs from the rest.

In the ten years since opening its first office in Waterloo Region, Google’s local operations have grown steadily, expanding from their original location to the historic Lang Tannery Building, and now taking over 185,000 square feet in the Breithaupt Block (opens in new tab) – a former brownfield site that has won awards as one of the top overall projects involving redevelopment and reuse of urban space. 

With the world watching, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau helped open Google’s new office in the Breithaupt Block, touring the new Canadian headquarters and praising the region as an “extraordinary hub” for innovation “at the cutting edge of the global economy”. 

Located in downtown Kitchener’s Innovation District, the Canooglers that work in the Breithaupt Block are part of Canada’s fastest growing regional tech hub, helping to advance Kitchener as a globally competitive innovation centre.

Google Canada’s managing director Sam Sebastian said the company's investment in Canada is "for the long term”. The unique technological ecosystem in Kitchener allows innovators and entrepreneurs to connect, grow and build success together. Google's expansion in Kitchener will further develop this ecosystem to ensure that any company — large or small — can make it in Kitchener.

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New #WaterlooRegion office solidifies Google’s place in Canadian tech

Google doesn’t do anything on a small scale. While having a mayor cut a ribbon is great, Google opened their new 185,000 square foot office in Kitchener-Waterloo with a visit from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau capped off a morning tour of the University of Waterloo and BlackBerry with student coding demos and a speech to celebrate Google’s contribution to the Canadian tech ecosystem. “Google has always worked hard to be not just a good corporate citizen, but an active player in Canada,” said Trudeau.

Canada was one of the first international operations for Google, with the opening of an office in Toronto in 2002. Google opened a small four-person office in Waterloo in 2005 and expanded into the Tannery Building in Kitchener. Today, Over 350 “Canooglers” – as Googlers in Canada are known – currently work on products including Gmail, Chrome, Google Ads, Google Fiber, and the OnHub router .

https://twitter.com/alexkinsella/status/687697275015966720

Google now occupies the Breithaupt Block building, stretching an entire city block along King Street – the main artery in Kitchener-Waterloo. Originally opened in the early 1900’s as a rubber manufacturing factory, the Google design team worked throughout the redevelopment to make the building as environmentally friendly as possible. Google has applied to have the building certified as LEED V4 Gold – which would be a first for a building in Canada. The office also features the perks and twists Google offices are known for; a 5,000 square ft gym, micro kitchens, and a climbing wall to name a few.

Mr. Trudeau’s visit began with a coding demo from students participating in Codemakers, a joint program between Google and Ottawa-based Actua that creates STEM programming for children.

https://twitter.com/alexkinsella/status/687687185718317056

Amidst the decline in the loonie and challenges in the energy sector, Trudeau brought focus to the impact the tech sector has on the economy. “Businesses like Google harness the incredible talent and capabilities of Canadians,” said Mr. Trudeau, “this government will continue to make significant investments to boost Canada’s innovative capacity, help dynamic firms grow, and create the jobs of tomorrow right here and right now.”

The Google Kitchener-Waterloo office is the second-largest engineering office outside of Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, CA. The choice is logical for Sam Sebastian, Managing Director of Google Canada. “Between the thriving schools and the startup economy, there are few places that Google would rather be today than right here.”

https://twitter.com/alexkinsella/status/687685728243847168

To commemorate his visit and the opening of the office, Prime Minister Trudeau was presented with his own framed caricature to hang on the office’s caricature wall. His caricature now hangs with the caricatures of Google Kitchener-Waterloo employees – a number that will continue to grow in the new space.

Images courtesy Alex Kinsella.

Alex Kinsella

Alex Kinsella is a contributor to BetaKit. He's worked for tech companies of every stage in customer service, consulting, development, product management, PR and social media roles. He's currently the Digital Marketing Manager at Communitech in Waterloo Region, Ontario.

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Walking tours

We have five walking tours that showcase how you can experience the Earth Sciences in your everyday life in Waterloo Region. We have prepared a script for each of the tours which were originally orated by Peter Russell. Here, they have been presented for your convenience. All you need to do is print the tour program, allot a date and time, and you will have your own personal walking tour to explore Earth Science in the context of Waterloo Region.

Peter Russell Rock Garden tour

• Visit the Peter Russell Rock Garden tour webpage

Rock around Uptown Waterloo

Explore the building stones used in Waterloo on this 2 hour walk.

• View the "Rock around Uptown Waterloo" tour map (PDF)
• View the "Rock around Uptown Waterloo" tour script (PDF)
• Listen to the audio version of the tour (.mp3)
• Use Google Maps for directions to the beginning of the tour in Waterloo

Rock around Downtown Kitchener

Total expected length: approximately 6 kilometres, or 2 hours.

Take a tour around downtown Kitchener and allow yourself to be amazed at the geological history that can be found in such an area!  Kitchener is a city with a rich history. Although it has only been recognized as a city since 1854, its roots may be traced back much further. Ancient rocks may be found in the buildings and surrounding landscape throughout this gorgeous city.  

• View the "Kitchener Rock Walk 2016 - Jane's Walk" tour (PDF)
• View the "Rock around Downtown Kitchener" tour map and script (PDF)
• Use Google maps for directions to the beginning of the tour in Kitchener

Rock around Maryhill

This is an hour to an hour and a half tour to explore the quiet hamlet of Maryhill. The topography of the area has been strongly modified by glacial and post-glacial activity.

Between the cities of Kitchener and Guelph lies Maryhill, a quiet hamlet with an outstanding geological history. The topography of the Maryhill area has been strongly modified by glacial and post-glacial activity. 

Glacial deposits of Pleistocene age, up to 30 metres thick, blanket the bedrock. A gothic St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church, built in the late 1870s, is visible from miles around and is situated on the top of this deposit. At the Church’s side is a cemetery with dozens of old stones and a huge stone wall. We invite you to use our audio tour to explore these fascinating features and more. Come and see how powerful glaciers have changed the natural landscape, and explore the fossils in the stone walls surrounding the church!

• View the "Rock around Maryhill" tour map (PDF)
• View the "Rock around Maryhill" tour script (PDF)
• Use Google maps for directions to the beginning of the tour in Maryhill

GeoTime Trail walking tour

Explore the geological history of Waterloo through the GeoTime trail. This 1 hour walk will give you a better understanding of time and teach you how the landscape and the life on it have changed over time! It is a gorgeous trail and is ideal for any time of the year.

• View the Geotime Trail tour script and map (PDF)
• For more information about the Geotime Trail, visit the City of Waterloo's website
• Use Google maps for directions to the beginning of the tour at Munich Drive in Waterloo

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Google is expanding in Kitchener.

On Thursday afternoon, the company announced plans for a new office in the Innovation District – Google will be the flagship tenant of Phase 3 of the Breithaupt Block expansion.

The new office will be located across from Google’s current location at 51 Breithaupt Street.

Once completed, the offices will accommodate new Google employees, as well as the first Google for Startups Accelerator.

It’s part of a three city announcement, which also includes Toronto and Montreal.

In a release, Google says the three offices will be able to accommodate up to 5,000 employees by the end of 2022.

“As the Toronto-Waterloo corridor continues to be a global centre of tech talent and innovation, it’s the perfect place for us to expand our footprint, and help grow the next generation of founders in Canada,” said Steve Woods, Google Canada Engineering and Waterloo Site Lead.

The new Kitchener office will bring seating capacity to 3,000, more than doubling Google’s current footprint in the region.

“Today’s announcement signals to investors worldwide that Kitchener and Waterloo region’s tech sector and creative ecosystem is globally significant — able to support fast growing and innovative companies like Google.” added Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “The City of Kitchener is glad to celebrate the unprecedented growth of Google in our backyard and we look forward to supporting their continued success.”

The city says Google’s offices and employees are directly investing in Kitchener’s vibrant downtown.

Communitech estimates for every one job tech job that is created, five additional jobs are created across the rest of the economy.

No word yet on when Google’s new Kitchener office will be up and running. Source CTV: Read the Original Article

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• Oct 16, 2015

Angelica’s Area Spotlight: Tour Google Kitchener -Waterloo with Me

Many people have already heard that Kitchener has become a real hub for tech companies and innovation, but not everyone knows that Google’s Canadian development headquarters are located right there at the heart of it all, leading the way.

Those employed at Google Kitchener Waterloo (and yes, they are hiring, check out the Careers Page here ) are involved in some pretty high profile stuff. It’s the office that developed Gmail, are spearheading the Google Fiber program and play a huge part in the ongoing development of Google Chrome, both the browser and the OS. It’s an exciting team to be a part of I hear and certainly a huge opportunity for the professionals who work there.

If you know anything about Google as a company then you know they are famed for providing innovative, inclusive, cool and even fun places to work. And Kitchener is no exception. The offices are located in the the historic Lang Tannery Building and while things may look fairly normal from the outside (they do share the space with other tenants) inside is a bit of a different story. The conference rooms, for example, are called : Endor, Cardassia Prime and Magrathea (proud geeks will get it) and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

That’s why I thought it would be fun, for this latest installment of Angelica’s Area Spotlight to ‘take’ you, with Google’s help, on a pictorial tour of this amazing workplace (all photo credits go to Google)

#Areainformation #KitchenerWaterloo

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Kate's 5 fun things to do in and around Waterloo region: May 24 to 26

Cheer on athletes from across ontario at the special olympics spring games.

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There may be a little rain this weekend, but otherwise it looks like it will be warm and sunny and a great time to get out into the region.

It's Public Works Week which means many local municipalities will be opening their doors on Saturday for people to check out how their pubic works works. In Guelph people can talk to staff about roads, sidewalks and parks or ride a new electric bus. In Waterloo , there will be equipment rides on dump trucks and excavators, free helmet fittings and a charity barbecue. In Cambridge , the Bishop Street operations centre will be open for tours.

On Saturday, regional paramedics are also hosting an open house at its north headquarters at 1001A Erbs Rd. in Waterloo and people can take tours and check out some demonstrations. That event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Fergus Fibre Festival is on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in downtown Fergus. There are many exhibits and vendors including sheep and shawl spinning, supplies for knitting or crocheting, Angora rabbits and, because it's Fergus, a performance by the pipe band.

WEFT Fest (Woolwich Expressions in Fibre Traditions) is on for a second weekend, too.

The Homer Watson Gallery is holding a clothesline art sale on Saturday, with a goal of making art more accessible to people with a wide range of pieces and prices.

Girls Can Fly is being held at the Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre at the Region of Waterloo International Airport Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It's a free event and registration is not required. There will be airplane displays, interactive activities and and flight simulators.

Spring Rural Romp is on Saturday in Wellington County where people can stop by local farms, greenhouses and food destinations as part of a self-guided tour.

And the Idea Exchange in Preston is holding a planting day extravaganza on Saturday, too.

For local baseball, the  Guelph Royals host the London Majors Saturday afternoon while the  Kitchener Panthers host the Brantford Red Sox Sunday afternoon.

Also, keep an eye on the K-W Titans ! If they need to go to Game 5 in their series against the London Lightning in the Super Basketball League finals, it'll be at The Aud Sunday afternoon.

If you're driving, here are some local gas prices:

Special Olympics provincial spring games

Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Various venues around Waterloo region

Spend some time cheering on the athletes taking part in the Special Olympics provincial spring games this weekend. 

There are five sports: basketball, bowling, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics and swimming and the events are being held at venues throughout the region.

The closing ceremonies are Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex, and people can watch that online if they're not able to attend in person. The ceremonies are not ticketed events and people are welcome to attend.

• Special Olympics Provincial Games website

A great big thank you to the hundreds of amazing volunteers who are dedicating their time and energy to help make the Special Olympics Ontario Spring Games a success. <br><br>Your commitment to the community is what makes these games possible. <a href="https://t.co/23pHSVpbOl">pic.twitter.com/23pHSVpbOl</a> &mdash; @WRPSToday

Welcomefest / Palette x Palate

Friday 5 p.m. to 10:45 p.m., Saturday 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Downtown Kitchener

This is a new event for the city and it's meant to get people downtown.

On Friday, there will be live music, a keg tapping event with the folks from K-W Oktoberfest, a subsequent licensed bar area where Chef D will be making food.

On Saturday, the Downtown Kitchener BIA is hosting Palette x Palate, which is celebrating art, food and patios. There will be live sidewalk murals along King Street and live paintings happening at various locations. There's also live music at different venues and wandering entertainment including fire juggling, stilt walkers and balloon artists.

Take in interactive activities like clay or face painting or visit the pop-up art market in Vogelsang Green.

• City of Kitchener Welcomefest website
• Downtown Kitchener BIA's Palette x Palate website

K-W Bookfest

Saturday 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Waterloo Public Square

If you need a new summer book or two (or 10), this is a great place to start your search. More than 60 local authors will be on hand for this event.

There will be author signings and family story hour starting at 2 p.m. The event is put on by the Grand River Writers and K-W Writers Alliance.

• Bookfest website

Hohner Ave. Porch Party

Saturday 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Hohner Avenue, Kitchener

Porch party season is getting underway and this neighbourhood music festival is a free event where you get to walk through the community, sit on front lawns and enjoy local music.

Some of the bands playing this weekend include Folklore Junction, Eric Jackson and The Willow River Band, Onion Honey, The MacQueens and Steve Breen and the Woolwich Three.

There will also be food trucks in the area so you can picnic while you listen to the music.

• Hohner Porch Party website

Re:Purpose Fest

Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Old Quebec Street Shoppes, Guelph

This event by the Guelph Tool Library will help something old become new again. The idea is for attendees to recycle items that might normally end up in the landfill. It includes local groups that are accepting donations of items, including bicycles, art supplies, coffee bags, comic books, sewing machines, wine corks, tools and so much more.

The event will also include some vendors who make upcycled items.

• Re:Purpose Fest website

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Content producer

Kate has been covering issues in southern Ontario for more than 20 years. She is currently the content producer for CBC Kitchener-Waterloo. Email: [email protected]

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Grayson Murray dies at age 30 a day after withdrawing from Colonial, PGA Tour says

By Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press

Posted May 25, 2024 12:38 pm.

Last Updated May 25, 2024 12:50 pm.

Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.

There were no immediate details on the circumstances of his death, only shock and grief from the PGA Tour and his management team.

“I am at a loss for words,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said. “The PGA Tour is a family, and when you lose a member of your family, you are never the same. We mourn Grayson and pray for comfort for his loved ones.”

His management company, GSE Worldwide, confirmed the death and said it was heartbroken.

“We will hold off on commenting until we learn further details, but our heart aches for his family, his friends and all who loved him during this very difficult time,” GSE said in a statement.

Monahan said he spoke with Murray’s parents to offer condolences, and they asked that the tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, continue.

He said grief counsellors would be on-site at the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour events. Monahan said he was headed to Texas.

Murray, who had dealt with alcohol and mental issues in the past, made a massive turnaround this year and won the Sony Open, hitting a wedge to 3 feet for birdie on the final hole to get into a playoff and winning it with a 40-foot putt.

He had won the Barbasol Championship the year before.

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Paramedic Services hosting open house to celebrate first responders

By CityNews Kitchener Staff

Posted May 25, 2024 08:20:33 AM.

Last Updated May 25, 2024 08:20:38 AM.

Get an inside look at the everyday life and work of a first responder, along with some fun for the whole family, at the Paramedic Services headquarters in Waterloo on Saturday.

They’re hosting an open house to celebrate Paramedic Services Week.

The event will feature food trucks, a tour of an ambulance, demonstrations, and fun for the kids. 

The theme of the event is ‘Help us, Help you’. Paramedics will be sharing important health-related information in a fun way.

The Paramedic Services headquarters are located at 1001A Erbs Rd. in Waterloo. 

The event runs from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

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Grayson Murray dies at age 30 a day after withdrawing from Colonial, PGA Tour says

By Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press

Posted May 25, 2024 3:38 pm.

Last Updated May 26, 2024 12:42 am.

Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.

There were no immediate details on the circumstances of his death, only shock and grief from the PGA Tour and his management team.

“I am at a loss for words,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said. “The PGA Tour is a family, and when you lose a member of your family, you are never the same. We mourn Grayson and pray for comfort for his loved ones.”

His management company, GSE Worldwide, confirmed the death and said it was heartbroken.

“We will hold off on commenting until we learn further details, but our heart aches for his family, his friends and all who loved him during this very difficult time,” GSE said in a statement.

Monahan said he spoke with Murray’s parents to offer condolences, and they asked that the tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, continue.

He said grief counselors would be on site at the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour event in Knoxville, Tennessee. Monahan headed to Texas and later appeared on CBS as the third round was ending.

“To see the devastation on the faces of every player coming in is really difficult to see and really just profound,” Monahan said. “Grayson was a remarkable player, but he was a very courageous man. I’ve always loved that about him.”

Murray, who had dealt with alcohol and mental health issues in the past, made a massive turnaround this year and won the Sony Open , hitting wedge to 3 feet for birdie on the final hole to get into a playoff and winning it with a 40-foot putt.

He also won the Barbasol Championship in 2017.

“It was a huge shock. My heart sank,” said Webb Simpson, who learned of Murray’s death shortly before teeing off at Colonial. He said Murray was the first winner of his junior tournament and they shared the same swing coach as juniors.

“I just hate it so much,” Simpson said. “I’m going to miss him. I’m thankful he was in the place with his faith before this morning happened.”

Murray was No. 58 in the world rankings coming off a tie for 43rd in the PGA Championship last week at Valhalla. He also made the cut in his Masters debut, finishing 51st, and was in the field for the U.S. Open next month at Pinehurst No. 2.

Murray, who grew up in North Carolina, was among the most talented juniors in the country. He won the prestigious Junior World Championship in San Diego three straight years and earned the Arnold Palmer Scholarship at Wake Forest.

He wound up going to three colleges, lastly at Arizona State, and won as a 22-year-old PGA Tour rookie at the Barbasol Championship.

Murray said in January that he had been sober for eight months, was engaged to be married, had become a Christian and felt his best golf was ahead of him. He was appointed to the 16-member Player Advisory Council.

“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.”

Murray said he used to drink during tournament weeks as a rookie because he knew he had talent and felt he was invincible. He also brought attention to himself through social media, openly criticizing other players and getting into one social media spat with Kevin Na over Na’s reputation as a slow player.

But he felt like he turned the corner when he sought help — letting others fight for him, is how he explained it this year.

“It took me a long time to get to this point,” Murray said in January. “That was seven years ago, over seven years ago. I’m a different man now. I would not be in this position right now today if I didn’t put that drink down eight months ago.”

Peter Malnati played with Murray at Colonial. He offered to go on the CBS telecast Saturday afternoon and immediately broke down trying to talk about him.

“It’s a huge loss for all of us on the PGA Tour,” Malnati said. “As much as we want to beat each other, we’re one big family, and we lost one today. It’s terrible.”

This story has been corrected to show that Murray won the Barbasol Championship in 2017, not last year.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press

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PGA Tour Golfer Grayson Murray Dead at 30 After January Title Victory

Professional golfer Grayson Murray has died. He was 30.

“We were devastated to learn – and are heartbroken to share – that PGA Tour player Grayson Murray passed away this morning. I am at a loss for words,” PGA commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement on Saturday, May 25. “The PGA Tour is a family, and when you lose a member of your family, you are never the same. We mourn Grayson and pray for comfort for his loved ones.”

A cause of death has not been publicly shared nor has Murray’s family spoken out about their loss.

“I reached out to Grayson’s parents to offer our deepest condolences, and during that conversation, they asked that we continue with tournament play,” Monahan continued in his statement, shared via the PGA Tour website. “They were adamant that Grayson would want us to do so. As difficult as it will be, we want to respect their wishes.”

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The PGA is currently hosting the Charles Schwab Challenge tournament through Sunday, May 26, at the Colonial Golf Course in Fort Worth, Texas. Murray had withdrawn ahead of the Thursday, May 23, first round, citing an undisclosed illness. It is unknown if his sickness led to his death.

Murray, who went pro in 2015, competed at his first Masters last month. He recently won the Sony Open in January.

“What an incredible week. This couldn’t be possible without the support of my family, caddie, coaches and my sponsors @mizunogolfnorthamerica @stateandliberty @footjoy,” Murray wrote via Instagram at the time. “I’m proud to be the 2024 @sonyopenhawaii champion. The best is yet to come. All Glory To God.”

Prior to his death, Murray opened up about his struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues.

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“Everyone is battling their own battle everyday. Some hide it well and some don’t. The first step to finding help is admitting you need it,” he previously wrote in a July 2017 social media post. “Luckily I admitted I needed help for depression and anxiety a few years ago and it saved my life. It’s something I battle everyday. It doesn’t go away, it will never go away but there are ways to control it.”

Related: Most Shocking Celebrity Deaths of All Time

He continued at the time, “Luckily I have formed a team around me that keeps me going everyday. I know setbacks are prone to happen but that’s the challenge I accept. Just to let everyone know I don’t usually post these posts but if you are or know someone struggling, I’m here to help.”

Murray had been sober since 2023.

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