Chris Kirk

2023 - 2 - 26

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Sports Illustrated"

2023 Honda Classic Final Payouts, Prize Money: Chris Kirk Wins ... (Sports Illustrated)

The veteran prevailed in a playoff over rookie Eric Cole for his first win in more than seven years.

Chris Kirk outduels Eric Cole in a playoff to win 2023 Honda Classic (usatoday.com)

Chris Kirk survived a playoff with rookie Eric Cole for his fifth PGA Tour win and first in eight years at the 2023 Honda Classic.

Kirk’s approach shot bounced a few feet past the hole and it spun back to 16 inches from the cup. Cole, meanwhile, was staring at a second shot 242 yards from the flag when his adrenaline got the best of him. He has said the reason never was to send a message to others. The Arnold Palmer Invitational, a designated event, is also next week in Orlando. Kirk entered the final hole of regulation in control. “It’s the reason why I have such a great relationship with my family. I have to remember that first and foremost, and it’ll sink in eventually, but it certainly hasn’t right now.” Kirk took an indefinite leave from the sport in May 2019 to deal with alcohol abuse and depression. Kirk has never backed away from talking about the darkest days of his life. He then won it on 18, the first playoff hole, with a birdie. The 37-year-old takes home $1.512 million and will go down as the last winner of the Honda Classic. The tournament is seeking a new title sponsor with American Honda ending its sponsorship after 42 years.

Chris Kirk wins Honda Classic in playoff; 1st title since 2015 (ESPN)

Chris Kirk stuck his approach to the par-5 18th to tap-in range, and his birdie on the first hole of a playoff lifted him past Eric Cole for the victory at ...

[Jhonattan Vegas](http://www.espn.com/golf/player/_/id/1030/jhonattan-vegas)had the round of the day with a 64, getting to 5 under. [Billy Horschel](http://www.espn.com/golf/player/_/id/1651/billy-horschel)(72) battled through sinus issues and finished 2 under for the week, after having a share of the first-round lead. Also in that group: [Shane Lowry](https://www.espn.com/golf/player/_/id/4587/shane-lowry), who had a chance to win the Honda last year and finished with an even-par 70. [Tyler Duncan](http://www.espn.com/golf/player/_/id/9569/tyler-duncan), ranked No. "I've got to go book some flights and hotel rooms, swipe the credit card," said Gerard, who came into the week ranked 472nd in the world. He got it back by the slimmest of margins at the Sony Open in 2021. win the Presidents Cup at South Korea in 2015. His second shot found the water, leading to bogey. Cole had a chance, playing his third shot from the sand to just outside of 10 feet for a birdie that would have extended the playoff. Cole earned $915,600 for the runner-up finish, a check that more than doubles what the 34-year-old has earned in 14 previous tour starts. His tee shot found the fairway. And he'll be the last Honda winner.

Chris Kirk hangs on to win the Honda Classic in a playoff over Eric ... (Golf.com)

Chris Kirk birdied the first playoff hole at the Honda Classic to prevail over Eric Cole for his fifth PGA Tour title.

However, that one miss came when it mattered most as he was unable to convert his 10-footer for birdie on the playoff hole. Kirk begun the day with a two-shot lead over his playing partner Cole, but the journeyman was able to pull even — and even take the lead — multiple times throughout the day. “It was a good putt,” he said. With a short club in his hand, the daunting water was not a factor as Kirk spun a wedge inside a foot to card a birdie. But despite being in unfamiliar territory, the rookie never flinched as he went blow for blow with Kirk. “I was obviously very very nervous today having not won in so long …

Gamble pays off for 'thankful' Chris Kirk, collecting first win in 8 years ... (GolfDigest.com)

The 37-year-old from Georgia hit it into the water on the 72nd hole but rebounded and collected his fifth PGA Tour victory in a playoff over Eric Cole at ...

The victory was worth $1.512 million for Kirk out of a purse of $8.4 million. "I was in a great position on 18 and just made a bad swing at the wrong time," Kirk said of his approach from 249 yards. Kirk closed with a one-under 69 and Cole, the son of former LPGA star Laura Baugh and past PGA Tour winner Bobby Cole, had a 67. "I was trying to stay aggressive and hit it in the middle of the green, but in hindsight it would have been better to hit it over to the left somewhere. Cole, packing a prominent golf pedigree and a hot putter, nearly extended the playoff, but his 11-foot birdie putt burned the left edge of the hole and spun out. Execution being paramount, Kirk had to make the decision pay off, which he did—barely—by fending off rookie and local favorite Eric Cole on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title in nearly eight years.

Emotional Chris Kirk thankful for sobriety after winning Honda ... (Palm Beach Post)

Kirk, four years removed from taking a leave of absence from the PGA Tour to get his life back on track, was a winner again, outlasting Eric Cole.

Kirk's approach shot bounced a few feet past the hole and it spun back to 16 inches from the cup. So the honesty of the process that I went through to get better just felt so good that I had nothing to hide and so it was just the natural thing for me to do. Cole, meanwhile, was staring at a second shot 242 yards from the flag when his adrenaline got the best of him. Kirk entered the final hole of regulation in control. He has said the reason never was to send a message to others. "When I first came back to playing and was very open and honest about it, that was not in my mind at all," he said. it was for me because I felt I had lived this life for a number of years where I was just lying to myself, lying to my family, lying to ... Kirk has never backed away from talking about the darkest days of his life. Kirk took an indefinite leave from the sport in May 2019 to deal with alcohol abuse and depression. He then won it on 18 (the first playoff hole) with a birdie. Everything that I have is because of that." The 37-year-old takes home $1.512 million and will go down as the last winner of the Honda Classic.

2023 Honda Classic leaderboard, grades: Chris Kirk breaks eight ... (CBSSports.com)

Chris Kirk was the last man standing at the 2023 Honda Classic as he successfully fended off a feisty Eric Cole in a playoff for his fifth career PGA Tour ...

There has been some good, but the bad has outweighed it as he has yet to collect a top-20 finish in five tournaments. Shane Lowry (-9): It has been a slow start to 2023 for the Irishman but the Honda Classic was another step in the right direction. McCarthy remains winless on the PGA Tour and the relatively weak field at the Honda Classic appeared prime for his breakthrough moment. Horschel shot out to a share of the first-round lead with a 5-under 65 but immediately backtracked on Friday with a round of 3 over. Denny McCarthy (-): He lives down the street from PGA National so the early exit was not too much of a burden on his travel plans. The good news for Straka is this finish marks his best result on the PGA Tour since falling in a playoff to Mackenzie Hughes at the Sanderson Farms Championship. No, not to his alma mater in Athens, but rather to Augusta National where Kirk will be invited to the 2023 Masters for the fourth time in his career and first time since 2016. The Austrian has been known as a player to go on mini-spurts when he finds his form -- just look at last year's FedEx Cup Playoffs -- and another could be in his near future. His stellar tee-to-green acumen has now been on display for two straight weeks leaving him only the putter -- which has been a problem area for the last eight months -- to figure out. When Cole was unable to get-up-and-down for his birdie, Kirk tapped in for bogey to force a playoff. "I felt good, that putt on 16 was huge and I was in a great position on 18. In extra holes, Kirk put himself behind the eight ball when his missed the fairway, but a successful layup set the stage.