Chris Kirk to take break from golf to deal with alcohol abuse and depression
By Will Gray, Golf Channel
Last Updated: 07/05/19 5:36pm
Chris Kirk has announced he is taking "an indefinite leave" from the PGA Tour to address issues with alcohol abuse and depression.
The four-time PGA Tour winner, who turns 34 on Wednesday, took to Twitter to share a statement about beginning "a new and better chapter in my life".
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He posted: "I have dealt with alcohol abuse and depression for some time now. I thought I could control it, but after multiple relapses I have come to realize that I can't fix this on my own.
"I will be taking an indefinite leave from the PGA Tour to deal with these issues. I don't know when I will be back, but for now I need my full focus on being the man my family deserves.
"Tomorrow I will celebrate my 34th birthday but I have already begun a new and better chapter in my life. Thank you to my friends and family for being there for me."
Kirk earned the first of four PGA Tour wins at the 2011 Sanderson Farms Championship and reached as high as 16th in the world rankings following his victory at Colonial in 2015.
The American has dropped to world No 188 having missed 11 of 17 cuts this season, including each of his last four starts.
His best performance of the year came with a tied-15th finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and he last teed it up two weeks ago at the Zurich Classic, where he teamed with Sepp Straka.
