Chris Kirk retains a PGA Tour card with a Sony Open | Golf News

Chris Kirk secured full PGA Tour membership for the remainder of the 2020-21 season by finishing second at Sony Open; Four-time PGA Tour winner plays under medical extension after battling alcohol and depression

Chris Kirk achieved full PGA Tour status at the Sony Open

Chris Kirk’s runner-up at Sony’s Open Championship may have felt like an impact after he regained his full playing privileges on the PGA Tour in Hawaii.

The winner of the four-time PGA Tour took a seven-month break from the sport in 2019 to deal with alcohol and depression and dropped a few of the world’s top 500 until he won the Korn Ferry Tour last year last year at the King & Bear Classic.

Kirk’s appearance in Honolulu was the start of his major medical expansion and his last chance to achieve full player status for 2021, having recorded one top-20 in his last nine starts and gone 31 months without a Tour PGA top-10.

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A look back at the best of the action from the exciting final of the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Hawaii

The 35-year-old needed a top-12 finish at Waialae Country Club just to earn position status and 14,934 FedExCup points to maintain his full membership – equivalent to being in the top three – with Kirk gaining status PGA Tour for the rest of the season by claiming a portion of the second spot.

“I never felt like it was a do-no-die situation,” Kirk said after finishing a scene behind Kevin Na. “I think it was I’m going to play some [events], but yes, it completely changes everything to be able to get back to building my schedule as I am used to it over the last few years.

“It’s really big. To go into a week and say I have to finish the top three to keep going and do it is, you know, silly. I wouldn’t have thought a- it would never work out like this this week. “

Kirk entered the final three strokes off the distance and later slipped with two bogs over his first three holes, just to follow three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the sixth. with three consecutive birdies from the 12th.

Chris Kirk’s moving show takes him back to the world of No. 128

Needing a birdie with a final hole at par-five 18 to make sure he had a full PGA Tour card, Kirk found a rough off the tee and was short of his approach but hit a 25-yard deft range to tap field into and protect play status.

Eunie Kirk signed five under-65s – his fourth in as many days – and set the clubhouse target at 20 under, where he ended up tied in second place alongside Joaquin Niemann as Kevin Na birdied the one last for one-shot effects.

“I think there were a number of years there where I was just very happy with who I was and what I was doing and I was just kind of trying to hide from that,” Kirk said. strong enough to take them away from where I was. You know, a lot of lying and hiding and the life you live in that situation.

“I think the biggest sight for me is that I can wake up every day and I’m glad I’m me, and I have nothing to hide. You know, I’m just “I feel like I’m doing my best and enjoying life. It’s as simple as that.”