The Chris Kirk story keeps finding new happy chapters.
The 38-year-old with the syrupy slow swing won the Sentry at Kapalua on Sunday, kicking off the 2024 PGA Tour season with a birdie-fueled performance that earned him a one-stroke victory over Sahith Theegala.
Once considered one of the game’s young stars, Kirk is nearly five years removed from stepping away from tournament golf to focus on personal challenges with alcohol and depression. Since returning to the PGA Tour in late 2019, Kirk has talked openly about his challenges while steadily finding the form that earned him four tour wins from 2011 through 2015.
Kirk’s playoff victory over Eric Cole at the Honda Classic last March marked a personal milestone. A relentless performance at the Plantation Course on Maui in Hawaii further validated Kirk’s career and personal renaissance.
“I just kept reminding myself that no matter how I felt, no matter how nervous I was, nothing is really stopping me from hitting great shots and great putts,” Kirk said.
Kirk recently posted a video of himself at home in Georgia where he spent a portion of his offseason break playing golf left-handed. When he got back to playing right-handed, Kirk was nearly flawless.
On a Sunday when making pars felt like backing up, Kirk ultimately separated himself by making a birdie at the downhill par-4 17th, hitting a 209-yard approach shot to within 2 feet of the hole, to put him one ahead of Theegala with the relatively easy par-5 18th remaining.
“That one on 17, I’ll remember for a long time,” said Kirk, who finished with a 65 for 29-under 263, one better than Theegala and two ahead of Jordan Spieth. Kirk earned $3.6 million from the $20 million purse at the first of eight “signature” events that, with the Players and the four majors, will feature enhanced prize funds.
“I felt happy with where my swing was. Just being able to – just having not played that much competitive golf for the last three or four months – you just don't really know if you're going to be able to kind of be efficient,” Kirk said.
“It’s unreal, so unexpected,” Kirk said. “I had a really good offseason and got a lot of good work done, but you never really expect to go shoot 29-under.”
Asked after his victory about the effect of the changes in his life, Kirk reiterated what it all means.
“It’s everything,” he said. “It’s an amazing life I’ve lived, and I’m so thankful for these last five years or so.
“I’m enjoying competing, enjoying the work. I didn’t have that for a while. To be back loving what I do, I love the process of working to be the best player I can and working on being as good a father and husband as I can off the course. It’s a constant process, and I’m loving every minute of it.”
RESULTS
Ron Green Jr.