Chris Kirk
Encyclopedia
Chris Kirk is an American professional golfer
.
Kirk was born in Knoxville, Tennessee
, but subsequently lived in Woodstock, Georgia
. He played college golf at the University of Georgia
and was a member of their 2005 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship
team along with Kevin Kisner
, Richard Scott
and Brendon Todd
.
Kirk turned professional in 2007. He played on the Nationwide Tour
from 2008 to 2010. He won the Fort Smith Classic and the Knoxville News Sentinel Open in 2010. Kirk finished second on the 2010 Nationwide Tour money list to earn his 2011 PGA Tour card, despite sitting out the last event of the season. Early in the season, he finished second to Phil Mickelson
at the Shell Houston Open
. Kirk won his first PGA Tour event in 2011, the Viking Classic, which was played the same weekend as The Open Championship
. The victory automatically qualified him for the 2011 PGA Championship
, where he finished T34.
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
.
Kirk was born in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, but subsequently lived in Woodstock, Georgia
Woodstock, Georgia
Woodstock is a city in Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. The population was 23,896 at the 2010 census.Originally a stop on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Woodstock is now considered part of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
. He played college golf at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
and was a member of their 2005 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship
NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships
The NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, played in late May or early June, is the top annual competition in U.S. men's collegiate golf. It is a stroke play team competition, starting in 2009 the competition changed to a stroke play/match play competition with the top 8 teams after 54 holes of...
team along with Kevin Kisner
Kevin Kisner
Kevin Kisner is an American professional golfer.Kisner was born in Aiken, South Carolina. He played college golf at the University of Georgia and was a member of their 2005 NCAA Division I Championship team along with Chris Kirk, Richard Scott and Brendon Todd...
, Richard Scott
Richard Scott (golfer)
Richard Scott is a Canadian professional golfer.Scott was born in Kingsville, Ontario. He learned golf as a youth at the Kingsville Golf Club, south of Windsor, Ontario, near Lake Erie. He won the Canadian Amateur Championship in 2003, 2005, and 2006...
and Brendon Todd
Brendon Todd
Brendon Todd is an American professional golfer who plays on the Nationwide Tour.Todd attended the University of Georgia where he was part of the 2005 team that won the National Championship. Todd joined the Nationwide Tour in 2008 and won the Utah Championship en route to finishing 19th on the...
.
Kirk turned professional in 2007. He played on the Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
from 2008 to 2010. He won the Fort Smith Classic and the Knoxville News Sentinel Open in 2010. Kirk finished second on the 2010 Nationwide Tour money list to earn his 2011 PGA Tour card, despite sitting out the last event of the season. Early in the season, he finished second to Phil Mickelson
Phil Mickelson
Philip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer. He has won four major championships and a total of 39 events on the PGA Tour. He has reached a career high world ranking of 2nd in multiple years. He is nicknamed "Lefty" for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed...
at the Shell Houston Open
Shell Houston Open
The Shell Houston Open is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It is currently played in April at Redstone Golf Club in the Houston suburb of Humble, Texas. Shell and the Houston Golf Association are the main sponsors of the tournament...
. Kirk won his first PGA Tour event in 2011, the Viking Classic, which was played the same weekend as The Open Championship
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
. The victory automatically qualified him for the 2011 PGA Championship
2011 PGA Championship
The 2011 PGA Championship was the 93rd PGA Championship. Keegan Bradley won his first major championship, in a three-hole playoff over Jason Dufner. The tournament began on Thursday, August 11, 2011 and concluded on Sunday, August 14...
, where he finished T34.
PGA Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 17, 2011 2011 PGA Tour The 2011 PGA Tour, the 44th season since the Tour became independent from the PGA of America, will consist of a total of 49 sanctioned events running from early January to late November... |
Viking Classic | 1 stroke |  George McNeillGeorge McNeill George William McNeill, Jr. is an American professional golfer.McNeill was born and raised in Naples, Florida. He attended Florida State University, where he was a member of the golf team. He was an All-ACC and All-America selection in 1997 and 1998.McNeill is currently a member of the PGA Tour... , Tom Pernice, Jr. |
Nationwide Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 20, 2010 2010 Nationwide Tour The 2010 Nationwide Tour was the 21st Nationwide Tour season. It ran from January 28 to October 31. The season consisted of 29 official money golf tournaments; six of which were played outside of the United States. The top 25 players on the year-end money list earned their PGA Tour card for 2011.-... |
Fort Smith Classic | 1 stroke | Kyle Thompson Kyle Thompson Kyle Thompson is an American professional golfer.Thompson is currently a member of the PGA Tour. Thompson was a member of the Nationwide Tour from 2003 to 2007. He won two events in 2007 which put him in the top 25 on the money list which earned him a PGA Tour card for 2008... |
|
| 2 | Aug 29, 2010 2010 Nationwide Tour The 2010 Nationwide Tour was the 21st Nationwide Tour season. It ran from January 28 to October 31. The season consisted of 29 official money golf tournaments; six of which were played outside of the United States. The top 25 players on the year-end money list earned their PGA Tour card for 2011.-... |
Knoxville News Sentinel Open | 2 strokes | Travis Bertoni |
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur- Walker CupWalker CupThe Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
: 20072007 Walker CupThe 41st Walker Cup Match was held between September 8 and September 9, 2007 at the Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland. Team United States won 12½ to 11½. The United States won by the same score in 2005.-Format:...
(winners)