Chris Kirk turns 34 on May 8, and a day prior, he announced he would be taking an extended leave of absence from the PGA Tour as he battles depression and alcoholism.
Taking to Twitter, Kirk issued a statement reading: "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 of absence 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 your support."
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. pic.twitter.com/XJjFYyojlh
— Chris Kirk (@Chris_Kirk_) May 7, 2019
Kirk is ranked 183rd in the Official World Golf Ranking, well down from an all-time-best year-end ranking of 20th in 2014. So far this season, Kirk has made three cuts in 11 PGA Tour starts, landing a T-15 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.
He withdrew ahead of last week's Wells Fargo Championship with a presumed injury. However, Kirk's revelation of his personal issues indicates he's been battling these problems throughout the year.
We wish the best to Kirk as he confronts these issues, and hopefully he returns better than ever.
