Chris Kirk a winner again on PGA Tour in thrilling Honda Classic
Athens area resident and former Georgia golfer Chris Kirk hadn’t won on the PGA Tour since 2015. That is until Sunday when Kirk took home The Honda Classic in a thrilling victory over rookie Eric Cole.
Kirk went into the final round with a two-stroke lead over Cole after shooting 13-under in the first three rounds including an eight-under 62 on Friday. He went into the final hole with a one-stroke lead and the inside track at winning. Then, on his second shot, Kirk found the water right of the green, opening the door for Cole and his first career victory.
Cole managed to make par and force a playoff with the PGA Tour veteran of almost a dozen years. Then it appeared that he had the upper hand after Kirk’s tee shot on the playoff hole found the rough behind a tree, forcing him to layup. However, after an impressive shot to about 100 yards out, Kirk reminded everyone watching why it was that he had the lead for the majority of the tournament, nearly holing out for eagle and being able to tap-in for the tournament winning birdie.
Kirk took an indefinite leave from golf in 2019 to deal with alcohol and depression issues. He hadn’t won since that leave, and while he finished top five at the 2022 PGA Championship and had a pair of top three finishes this season on the Tour, it was easy to see just how much coming out on top meant to him afterwards.
“I just have so much to be thankful for,” an emotional Kirk told the NBC broadcast crew on the 18th green. “I am so grateful for my sobriety, I’m so grateful for my family, I’m so grateful for everyone that’s supported me the past three to four years especially. Thank you so much to my wife Tahnee, I have not been the easiest person to be married to always, and my boys, Sawyer, Foster, Wilder, I love you guys so much. I can’t wait to see you.”
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“I was obviously very, very nervous today having not won in so long,” Kirk continued. “Coming down the stretch, I felt good, obviously that putt on 16 was huge and I was in a great position on 18. Just made a bad swing at the wrong time. I was trying to stay aggressive and hit in the middle of the green but in hindsight it probably would have been better to hit it over to the left somewhere. Thank God it worked out.”
Kirk’s win moves him into sixth place in the FedEx Cup points standings, moving up 28 spots. He’s also the second straight former Georgia player to win at the Champions Course at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. after Sepp Straka, who finished tied for fifth this week, took home the title last year.
It’s the 40th PGA Tour win by a golfer who played under Chris Haack at Georgia including 12 from Bubba Watson and multiple from Harris English, Russell Henley, Kevin Kisner, Hudson Swafford, Brendon Todd and Brian Harman. Kirk secures himself a spot in the 2023 Masters with the victory as well.
