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| Chris Kirk holds the trophy after winning the McGladrey Classic on Sunday. |
To watch Chris Kirk's post-tournament interview, click here.
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) -- Chris Kirk knew he was doing enough right Sunday at Sea Island to win a tournament that means so much to him. The former Georgia Bulldog just didn't realize it would take something that went so wrong for Briny Baird.
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) -- Chris Kirk knew he was doing enough right Sunday at Sea Island to win a tournament that means so much to him. The former Georgia Bulldog just didn't realize it would take something that went so wrong for Briny Baird.
Tied for the lead in the McGladrey Classic, Kirk was on the other side of the 18th fairway trying to envision an approach that would cover the flag and set up a birdie chance for the win. Those plans changed when Baird, with the ball below his feet in a fairway bunker, topped a 4-iron and watched his ball roll 90 yards and into a hazard.
Kirk played for par, closed with a 4-under 66 for a 1-shot victory, and became the first player from Sea Island to win the McGladrey Classic -- even if the 28-year-old moved to Atlanta a few months ago after six years in this tiny slice of paradise.
He received the trophy from tournament host Davis Love III, his hero when he first took the game seriously.
"To come here to Sea Island, which is a place that I love and cherish so much, and Davis's tournament, it just an unbelievable thing," Kirk said. "Davis was kind of my guy when I was 12 and 13, really starting to play golf. He was my favorite player, and he's turned from being my idol to sort of a mentor and good friend. So I'm a very lucky person to be in that situation, and to win his tournament really means a lot to me."
The victory sends Kirk to the Masters for the first time and to the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua to start 2014.
Kirk's win highlighted a strong weekend by the former Bulldogs. Brian Harman was 10th at 8-under, Brendon Todd was 16th at 7-under and Kevin Kisner was 20th at 6-under. Harris English, Erik Compton and Russell Henley also were in the money during the weekend, while Hudson Swafford missed the cut.
Baird is now 0-for-365 in his PGA Tour career, and it looked for the longest time that he finally would win. Baird went from a two-shot deficit to a one-shot lead in two holes on the back nine, and he was on the verge of seizing control on the par-5 15th.
Kirk's win highlighted a strong weekend by the former Bulldogs. Brian Harman was 10th at 8-under, Brendon Todd was 16th at 7-under and Kevin Kisner was 20th at 6-under. Harris English, Erik Compton and Russell Henley also were in the money during the weekend, while Hudson Swafford missed the cut.
Baird is now 0-for-365 in his PGA Tour career, and it looked for the longest time that he finally would win. Baird went from a two-shot deficit to a one-shot lead in two holes on the back nine, and he was on the verge of seizing control on the par-5 15th.
Baird hit his approach to 40 feet for a chance at eagle. Kirk was between clubs and pulled his hybrid into the water left of the green, and then he slammed his wedge into the turf when he chipped weakly, leaving him a long putt for par. It looked as if Baird would lead by two shots, maybe three, with three holes to play.
Instead, he ran his eagle putt 4 feet by the cup and three-putted for par, and Kirk holed his 20-foot par putt to stay only one shot behind.
"That kept me in it," Kirk said.
He caught Baird with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole, setting up one last surprise on a back nine filled with them.
Tim Clark closed with a 62 and was on the practice range, holding out slim hope for a playoff if Kirk and Baird made bogey on the 18th. Only one of them faltered, and it was shocking. Baird had a tough lie in the sand, and he felt his left foot slip. Even so, he felt he should have been able to pull off the shot. It wasn't even close.
Kirk finished at 14-under 266, and his last tournament of 2013 came with plenty of perks -- the biggest a trip to Augusta National, which he only has played when Georgia alumni used to invited the golf team over once a year.
And his parents get a new photo for their mantle. The one they have is from a decade ago, when Kirk finished his sophomore year in high school and played in the Canon Cup north of Chicago. It was the first time he met Love, and his parents still have a photo of their son with sideburns and braces.
"It's a pretty funny picture now," Kirk said.
Now he can give them a photo of Kirk and Love posing with the trophy on the 18th green of the Seaside course at Sea Island, where Kirk had lived for the last six years until moving back to Atlanta because his wife is due next month with their second child. He still has his home at Sea Island, and it felt like the home with a large gallery waiting for him around the 18th green.
