DRIVING HOME SOBER –
March 12, 2021 – My father was an alcoholic and he, too, appeared to anyone outside of our home as one of the friendliest, happiest guys around. The people on the outside didn’t see how the demons of alcohol affected him and our family before he got sober and saved his life and our family.
These were the things Kirk, who’s married with three boys ages 3, 7 and 9 years old, faced.
So, on April 29, 2019, in a hotel room in, of all places, New Orleans — the party capital of America — Kirk experienced his come-to-Jesus moment. He decided enough was enough, that he could no longer control and hide his drinking.
Less than two years removed from that lonely — but brave and powerful — moment, Kirk enters the weekend of The Players Championship two shots behind leader Lee Westwood at 7-under after shooting 65 on Friday, the low round of the tournament.
“There was a time when I’d be on the 15th hole at a tournament and I couldn’t wait to finish so I could go get a drink,’’ Kirk told The Post on Friday. “It became medication for anxiety, fear, some occasional depression and feeling pretty worthless. I couldn’t live a functional life without [alcohol]. I couldn’t wait to get done playing golf so I could get back on it. It was a bad cycle.’’
