PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. ā Chris Kirk waited nearly eight years to win a PGA Tour event again. Waiting one more hole on Sunday was no problem.
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 the Honda Classic on Sunday.
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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. But it lipped out, and Kirk nudged his ball in for his fifth career win ā his first since prevailing at Colonial in 2015.
āI was obviously very, very nervous today having not won in so long," Kirk said. āComing down the stretch, I felt good."
And heāll be the last Honda winner. The car company is ending its title sponsorship of the event after 42 years, with a new sponsor set to be in place ā the PGA Tour hopes, anyway ā in the coming weeks.
They finished 72 holes tied at 14-under 266, Kirk shooting 69 on Sunday, Cole shooting 67.
Kirk earned $1,512,000 for the win, and is now eligible to play the Masters again for the first time since 2016. 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.
āI loved it. It was a lot of fun," Cole said. āI canāt wait to get back and do it again. I didnāt have my best stuff today, and I was proud of how hard I fought."
Kirk went to the par-5 18th with a one-shot lead. His tee shot found the fairway. His second shot found the water, leading to bogey. Cole made par, giving Kirk new life in the playoff.
āBad swing at the wrong time. ... Thank God it worked out," Kirk said.
Kirk hadnāt held a trophy since 2015. Thatās not to say he hasnāt done any winning in that span.
He walked away from the game in May 2019 because of alcoholism and depression. He struggled with anxiety, struggled to deal with pressure, even though he had a penchant for making it seem like no big deal on the golf course ā he was a four-time winner, plus made a big putt to help the U.S. win the Presidents Cup at South Korea in 2015.
The tour gave him a major medical extension for the time he missed, meaning he had a set number of tournaments to do well enough to regain his full status. He got it back by the slimmest of margins at the Sony Open in 2021.
And now heās a champion again.
āI just have so much to be thankful for,ā Kirk said. āIām so grateful for my sobriety, Iām so grateful for my family, Iām so grateful for everyone that has supported throughout the past three or four years.ā
Tyler Duncan, ranked No. 360 in the world coming into the week, shot 66 on Sunday and was third at 12 under. Monday qualifier Ryan Gerard, playing the weekend for the first time on the PGA Tour, shot 67 and finished fourth at 10 under.
Gerardās career earnings on tour went from $0 to $411,600. His plans for the next few weeks might be changing based on this finish.
āIāve 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. āWe'll see what happens.ā
Defending champion Sepp Straka (68) was in a group tied for ninth at 9 under, with all four of his rounds in the 60ās. Also in that group: Shane Lowry, who had a chance to win the Honda last year and finished with an even-par 70.
āI played lovely, and I just couldnāt get it going," Lowry said.
DIVOTS: It was the first playoff for both Kirk and Cole. ... Jhonattan Vegas had the round of the day with a 64, getting to 5 under. He started birdie-birdie-eagle, made a 50-footer for double bogey on the par-3 15th after his tee shot found the water, then made a 36-footer for another eagle to cap the round. ... Billy Horschel (72) battled through sinus issues and finished 2 under for the week, after having a share of the first-round lead. The Florida native still hasnāt won a tour event in Florida, now 0 for 40.
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