There was a time when Chris
Kirk thought he might never play on the PGA
Tour again, let alone win a tournament. In Hawaii on Sunday, he saw in
2024 with his second triumph in less than a year.
A stunning birdie at the penultimate hole fired the American
to victory at The Sentry in Maui, his final round – an eight-under 65 – enough
to edge compatriot Sahith Theegala by a single stroke at 29-under overall.
Perfect final round conditions at the Plantation Course
capped a week of exceptionally low scoring, with all 59 players on the field
shooting under-par for the second time in four days, with South Korean Sungjae
Im tallying 34 birdies. That set a new PGA Tour record for birdies in a 72-hole
event, with I’m sinking 10 on Sunday to surge to tied-fifth.
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Yet it was the 30th and final of Kirk’s personal-best PGA
Tour event birdie haul, set up by a 209-yard approach to within three feet of
the hole, that saw the American golfer claim his sixth PGA Tour title and the
$3.6 million (£2.83 million) winner’s purse.
Nine months on from his victory at the Honda Classic, the
38-year-old has had to wait far less time for a win this time around. Last
year’s triumph in Florida had marked Kirk’s first PGA Tour success in almost
eight years, and his first
since committing to sobriety four years prior.
On the eve of his 34th birthday in May 2019, Kirk announced
he would be taking an “indefinite leave” from golf to deal with his alcohol
abuse and depression. Then-ranked 188th in the world, Kirk reflected on his
journey Sunday, with the American poised to climb to world No. 25 – his best
position since 2015.
“It’s 100% the reason why I’m able to do what I do,” Kirk
told reporters.
“I’ve said that a lot, but my PGA Tour career would have been
over a while ago had I not gotten sober.”
Candid about his experiences since his return from his
six-month absence, Kirk was named the recipient of the PGA Tour’s Courage Award
for 2023, presented to an individual who “through courage and perseverance, has
overcome extraordinary adversity, such as personal tragedy or debilitating
injury or illness, to make a significant and meaningful contribution to the
game of golf.”
Having previously fallen out of love with “most things in
life,” a rejuvenated Kirk is relishing finding “joy” in his sobriety journey
and golfing rehabilitation.
“I just love how hard this is. It’s so hard to be great at
this, and I love the process that it takes,” he said.
“I love the work that it takes to try to be the best version
of myself. I definitely have fallen back in love with that process, and
sometimes you get rewarded for it, like today, and sometimes you don’t. That’s
just part of the deal.
“I think to be successful and to really enjoy your life as a
PGA Tour player you’ve got to love the work.”
Theegala, chasing his second PGA Tour title, was forced to
settle for the third runner-up finish of his tour career.
“It’s always tough when you come so close, because you don’t
get a lot of chances,” the 26-year-old Theegala told reporters.
“It is a little emotional, but I’ve been here before, and I
think having one in the bag is something that I’m going to look back on as
really positive.”
Three-time major champion Jordan Spieth finished a shot
behind Theegala in third, while South Korea’s A Byeong-han placed fourth.
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