Akshay Bhatia interview shows PGA Tour still reeling from Grayson Murray suicide

A visibly emotional Akshay Bhatia struggled to hold it together as he opened up on the close bond he shared with Grayson Murray after the first round of the RBC Canadian Open. 

Two-time PGA Tour winner Murray took his own life last Saturday at the age of 30. 

Murray played 16 holes of the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge before withdrawing, citing 'illness'. 

Hours later he was dead. 

His tragic death has shocked the world of men's professional golf, with tributes flooding in and tales of random acts of kindness about the troubled star being shared in abundance.

Bhatia knew Murray better than anyone. 

It was Murray, Bhatia said, who told him he'd make it to the PGA Tour. 

"He always believed in me," he said after a one-under 69 at Hamilton Country Club. 

This week, Bhatia has written G$ on his wrist and is playing for Murray. 

In fact, he'll always for Murray. 

"I didn't think it would be this hard," Bhatia said before composing himself when asked about the symbol. 

"I wrote G-money today. He's one of my best buddies out here, grew up together. I looked up to him for a long time.

"I just -- yeah, I wish he was still here, but I know he's here watching above everyone. 

"It's just crazy. Like 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. Just freaky stuff happens like that where I know he's with us."

He added: "I'm playing for him this week, and every round I play for the next however long. Yeah, he's just with me all the time, and he meant a lot to me. 

"[I am] just happy and proud to wear Grayson's name on my wrist."

Bhatia said Murray was always a confident person with a little bit of cockiness about him. 

When he was 13 years old, he'd asked Murray what it was like to be on Tour. 

"He was always like, 'Dude, you're going to be there, trust me'" Bhatia said. 

"He just always believed in me. Out here it can be lonely. This week I'm staying alone, which it's just not always fun, it's not always glamorous. 

"[But] just having the support of a player and someone you look up to and everything in between -- yeah, he just taught me to be kind to others. 

"His parents have always been awesome to me and treated me like one of their own, and he's done the same."

Bhatia said Murray's death has opened eyes. 

"It doesn't happen that often," he said. 

"The amount of appreciation and just uplifting energy from everyone across the world on the PGA Tour has been great for his family. 

"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.

"I just think the support everyone's given his family and then everyone is truly amazing. Hopefully this kind of opens the doors for a lot of people that just no matter what, our society is always supporting one another."

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