Honda Classic: Chris Kirk defeated Eric Cole in a playoff at the Honda Classic on Sunday to win his first championship in eight years and make a long-awaited and emotional return to the winners’ circle.
Kirk and Cole came back to play the par-five 18th hole once more after Kirk bogeyed the hole to force the playoff. Kirk made his third attempt this time, which turned out to be the winning birdie tap.
Kirk, who was playing with Cole in the last group, overtook him with a three-under 67 after starting the day with a two-stroke advantage. The pair finished two shots ahead of Tyler Duncan, who tied for third place after shooting a final-round 66, at 14-under 266.
On just his second PGA Tour outing, Ryan Gerard scored a final-round 67 to tie for fourth place at 10 under.
Sepp Straka of Austria, the defending champion, finished the weekend with a score of 68 to tie for fifth place with five other players at nine under. Ben Martin (age 68), Justin Suh (age 71), Shane Lowry (age 70), an Irishman, and Ben Taylor (age 68) joined him (70).
With his most recent victory coming at The Colonial in 2015, Kirk, 37, won for the fifth time on the PGA Tour and for the first time since taking a vacation from the tour to manage alcoholism and depression in 2019.
Kirk added, “I really have so much to be grateful for. I’m quite appreciative of my sobriety. I’m really appreciative of my family. I’m very appreciative of everyone who helped me over the last three or four years.”
When Kirk took aim at the green on his second shot, it bounced off a decorative brick on the edge of the green complex and ended out in the sea. Kirk had been ahead of Cole by one shot going into his final round.
Kirk was forced to take a drop, giving Cole the opportunity to perhaps win with a birdie. Nevertheless, his third shot rolled beyond the hole and did not remain on the green after his second shot overshot the green.
Cole went on to save par, while Kirk missed his par putt, resulting to the play-off.
Kirk had to lay up on his second shot after his drive hit the rough. Kirk’s third shot, which nearly spun into the cup, astounded the audience after Cole’s second shot ended up in a bunker behind the green.
Kirk remarked, “Everyone saw how difficult Eric’s bunker shot was, and he hit a tremendous second shot. When I missed the fairway on 18, I would have wanted to have piped one down the middle, but I almost felt my chances better with a wedge into that pin than some of those shots from left.”
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