The Honda Classic, a tournament whose only attraction is that it is held at the PGA National from Palm Beach, a great field, found a superlative finish with the victory of Chris Kirk, the golfer who beat alcoholism and that he added his first victory on the PGA Tour since he faced the problem in 2019.
Kirk went on to add his fifth victory on the great world circuit, in which he made his debut in 2011, at the age of 26, winning the Viking Classic, in which he got used to winning at the rate of one title per season until the problems began and the abyss.
At the PGA Tour landing in Florida, After covering the early part of the season alongside the Pacific, Kirk defeated rookie Eric Cole in a playoff after a dramatic finish on the final hole. The man from Knoxville had reached the tee of that hole with a one shot advantage and tried to reach the green of this par 5 of two to cement his victory. What he found was the water, as Cole left his second shot on the outskirts of the green. With a blaster in hand he needed to approach and putt to win, as long as Kirk didn’t make a 15-foot putt that he had for par after dropping (he wouldn’t make it).
But Cole, who had never been seen in one of those, he made a poor approach, until the first rough cut past the flag and from there he needed two more shots. In the tie-breaker, and despite having caught something that Kirk couldn’t, the Tennessee man took a sensational third shot from the sleeve and Cole was unable to respond with another birdie.
The period of 7 years, 9 months and 2 days without winning on the PGA Tour it was among the longest dry spells in the circuit’s recent history. But, above all, it was a vital triumph and an example. “I was very close to losing everything I had,” said the champion from the first question. “If I hadn’t stopped drinking, I probably wouldn’t have the family that I do. I thank God and many other people who really helped me along the way.” And he went to celebrate with a diet coke. “It’s going to be a good celebration and I thank God alcohol isn’t a part of it.”
