Chris Kirk: Player Profile

Who is Chris Kirk?

Chris Kirk has been around the PGA Tour for a long time now, and following a lengthy drought, he has won twice in the last two years.

Kirk spent his college years at the University of Georgia, and was a key member of the team that won the NCAA Championship in 2005. He secured seven individual victories during his time at Georgia, which is a school record to this day. He represented his country in both the Eisenhower Trophy and Walker Cup during his amateur career and won the Ben Hogan Award in his senior year in college in 2007.

He turned pro after the Walker Cup, and played on the Nationwide (now Korn Ferry Tour) for the first few years of his professional career. 2010 saw Kirk grab his first victory, winning the Fort Smith Classic. He then tasted success just six weeks later with a win at the Knoxville News Sentinel Open. Those two wins elevated him onto the PGA Tour for the 2011 season.

Kirk has gone on to win six times on the PGA Tour, including a FedEx Cup Playoffs event. That was the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2014. Following a win at the Crowne Plaza Invitational in May 2015, Kirk then had an eight-year drought before winning again. That time included dropping back down to the Korn Ferry Tour before making his way onto the PGA Tour once again. Kirk won again at the Honda Classic in 2023, before then winning The Sentry in early 2024.

Chris Kirk | An Overview

Personal Information

Name: Chris Kirk
Born: May 8, 1985
Nationality: United States
Residence: Athens, Georgia, United States

Career

College: University of Georgia
Turned Pro: 2007
Professional Wins: 9
Highest World Ranking: 16 – May 31, 2015

Best Results In Majors

Best Finishes:
– Masters Tournament – T16 (2024)
– PGA Championship – T5 (2022)
– US Open – T28 (2014)
– Open Championship – T19 (2014)

Professional Wins – 9

2010 (2) – Fort Smith Classic, Knoxville News Sentinel Open
2011 (1) – Viking Classic
2013 (1) – McGladrey Classic
2014 (1) – Deutsche Bank Championship
2015 (1) – Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
2020 (1) – King & Bear Classic
2023 (1) – The Honda Classic
2024 (1) – The Sentry

Achievements and Awards

Ben Hogan Award – 2007
PGA Tour Courage Award – 2022-2023

Chris Kirk | What’s In His Bag?

Kirk plays a mixed bag of clubs, between mainly Callaway and TaylorMade. From the former, he has a Paradym Triple Diamond driver and Apex irons along with a trio of wedges. He also has TaylorMade Stealth 2 fairway woods and a 56-degree Vokey Design SM9 wedge. Kirk plays with the Titleist Pro V1x.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Chris Kirk

When and where was Chris Kirk born?

Chris Kirk was born in Knoxville, Tennessee in May 1985, before growing up in the state of Georgia.

When did Chris Kirk turn professional?

Kirk turned professional in 2007 following his debut in the Walker Cup for Team USA. He played for three years on the Nationwide (now Korn Ferry) Tour before graduating to the PGA Tour for the 2011 campaign.

How many PGA Tour titles has Chris Kirk won?

As of early 2024, Kirk is a six-time winner on the PGA Tour. His first win came in 2011 at the Viking Classic, and he has a FedEx Cup Playoffs title – the Deutsche Bank Championship – to his name as well. His most recent win came in January 2024 at The Sentry.

Who is Chris Kirk married to?

Kirk is married to wife Tahnee, and the pair have been married since 2009 having met just a year earlier. The couple now have three children: Foster, Sawyer and Wilder.

Did you Know?

Alcohol and Mental Health Struggles

In May 2019, Kirk announced that he was taking a break from golf indefinitely so he could deal with alcohol and mental health issues that had been plaguing him. A year later, he won again on the Korn Ferry Tour and graduated back to the PGA Tour.

Eight-Year PGA Tour Drought

Chris Kirk had to endure an eight-year spell without winning a PGA Tour title – or 2,835 days to be precise – between his win at the 2015 Crowne Plaza Invitational and his Honda Classic victory in 2023.

PGA Tour Courage Award Winner

Following his struggles, and his fight back to take his first victory on tour in eight years, Kirk was the winner of the PGA Tour Courage Award for the 2022-2023 season.

Team USA as Junior and Senior

Kirk has represented his country on a number of occasions, both as a youngster and then as an adult as well. During his amateur career, he played for Team USA in both the Eisenhower Trophy and the Walker Cup. Eight years on, he represented the ‘Stars and Stripes’ at the 2015 Presidents Cup.