If they had a chance to win a $20 million purse, who would want to gamble for $8.4million? Chris Kirk?
Kirk, who withdrew last week from the Genesis Invitational is now the 54-hole leader of the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens. He posted a 4-under 66 in Saturday’s third round at PGA National’s Champions Course to improve his score to 13-under 197.
Kirk missed last week’s Genesis Invitational where Jon Rahm won $3.6 million. Instead, he will compete in this week’s tournament with an $8.4m purse. The winner is expected to cash a check worth $1.512m, less than half of the Genesis prize money. It’s a strange decision on paper.
Kirk pulled out of last week’s Genesis Invitational before the tournament, having missed the cut at WM Phoenix Open. He wanted to play a course that was more suited to his game. Crazy like a fox? It is true. But it is also why PGA Tour pros choose to be independent contractors and pick the tournaments they feel have the greatest chance of success.
Chris Kirk is currently leading by 2.
Colonial was his last PGA Tour victory in 2015. This was just a week before Bryson de Chambeau won his 2015 NCAA individual title.
Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf February 25, 2023
Let’s not pass judgment on Kirk. He did not WD because of an injury or because it was urgently needed. He had missed the Farmers Insurance Open, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Before missing the cut in Phoenix he was on a hot streak. He had a T-3 at Sony Open in Hawaii, and a third at American Express. This elevated him to No. He rose to No. 90 in the Official World Golf Ranking. 47. He has a chance to qualify for April’s Masters by remaining in the top 50 of the OWGR at cutoff, March 27. This was after the WGC Dell Match Play week and a week prior to the Masters. All of this would be moot if he wins the Honda Classic on Sunday.
Kirk’s bizarre decision is revealed by digging deeper. It is clear that he has never done well at Riviera. Kirk has only played in Tinseltown four times since 2011, and made the cut once, a T33 in 2013. He last played there in 2016. Kirk is not suited for all the fades at Hogan’s Alley.
Kirk was enticed by the huge purse, but he didn’t sign up for Genesis. Was he disappointed at missing the cut in Phoenix? He was unable to see Riviera as a fit for him. According to a source within his camp, he decided that he preferred his chances at the Honda Classic where he had a career-best T-7 finish last year. He also pulled out of the PGA National event. Even though a top-10 finish last weekend would have netted him more than half a millimillion dollars, and there was plenty of world ranking points to be had he not pulled out. Kirk is looking for his first win since 2015 Charles Schwab Challenge. To break half a million, it will take him to finish a solo third. His calculated move has been successful through three rounds at the Honda Classic. It could result in an automatic exemption to Masters, a seven figure payday, and many other benefits.
