Chris Kirk had more than enough reason to feel nervous heading into a play-off decider at the recent Honda Classic, where he was seeking his first PGA Tour victory in almost eight years.
In the time since he had last been crowned a champion on golf 's biggest circuit, the 37-year-old had gone public regarding his battles with alcohol and depression, only to come back sober and ready for a new challenge. And almost four years after admitting he had a substance abuse problem, 'Captain Kirk' opened up about just how close he came to the brink amid his issues with alcohol.
“I owe everything that I have in my entire life to my sobriety,” the Knoxville native told reporters following a long-awaited win at PGA National Resort. “I wouldn’t be doing this for a living anymore. I probably wouldn’t have the family that I have currently anymore. I came really close to losing everything that I cared about.
