Chris Kirk has thanked his supporters as he celebrated five years of sobriety this week.
The six-time PGA Tour winner shared a heartfelt message on his Instagram account, marking five years of being sober and thanking those who helped him during his journey.
“5 years!!! I am so thankful to those who have helped me along the way,” he wrote in an Instagram post that also included a video message to his fans. “The work never stops but I live a life of peace and contentment that I never knew was possible.”
Kirk – who has been as high as 16th in the world rankings – has spoken openly about his recovery journey, which saw him step away from the game in May 2019 to seek help for depression and alcoholism.
After six months on the sidelines, the 38-year-old made a comeback to the tour and has since become a fan favorite, with his story resonating with many. Last year, he was awarded the PGA Tour's Courage Award for his "courage and perseverance in overcoming extraordinary adversity".
His form on the course has also benefited of late, having won twice in less than 12 months at The Honda Classic in February 2023 and The Sentry in January this year.
Following his victory at The Sentry, he once again opened up about his struggles with depression and alcoholism, saying that there was a time when he “lost the joy of most things in life” and how getting sober saved his career.
As he celebrated his five-year milestone on Monday, Kirk said he continues to be thankful that he was able to find a way out of his struggles.
"Hey y'all, it's April 29 and today I'm celebrating five years of sobriety," Kirk said in a video posted on Instagram. "Five years ago I was completely hopeless and couldn't see any way out. Thankfully I ran into a group of people that had once been hopeless just like me and showed me the way out.
"Every good thing, every great thing, every awesome thing that I have in my life is 100 percent because I got sober. God bless you, have a great day."
If you're worried about your own or someone else's drinking or mental health, you can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) National Helpline on 1-800-662-HELP (4357) in the US. In the UK, the national alcohol helpline, Drinkline, can be contacted on 0300 123 1110. Other international helplines can be found here.
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