Pro Announces Leave Due To Alcohol Abuse And Depression

Chris Kirk is taking time away from the PGA Tour after relapses with alcohol abuse and depression

Pro Announces Leave Due To Alcohol Abuse And Depression
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Chris Kirk is taking time away from the PGA Tour after relapses with alcohol abuse and depression

Pro Announces Leave Due To Alcohol Abuse And Depression

Chris Kirk has announced that he is leaving the PGA Tour indefinitely due to a fight against alcoholism and depression.

The four-time PGA Tour winner revealed on social media that has been dealing with alcohol abuse and depression "for some time now" and that he couldn't fix it on his own after multiple relapses.

"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," he wrote, along with a statement attached.

The statement reads -

"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.

"Thank you for the support."

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Kirk isn't the only PGA Tour player to deal with substance troubles, after Robert Garrigus was recently banned for marijuana.

“After a long period of sobriety, I had a relapse and subsequently failed a drug test for marijuana," Garrigus wrote in a statament in March.

A drug, that although legal in many states, is not permitted under the PGA Tour’s anti-doping rules. I mention that it is legal in many states not as an excuse, but as a word of warning to many people who use or try marijuana. Legal doesn’t mean it isn’t addictive and legal doesn’t mean there aren’t potentially severe consequences if you use it.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV