Chris Kirk will find himself away from the course.
The PGA Tour pro is taking an indefinite leave from golf amid a fight with “alcohol abuse and depression,” he said in a statement Tuesday.
“I thought I could control it, but after multiple relapses I have come to realize that I can’t fix this on my own,” said the 34-year-old from Tennessee. “I will be taking an indefinite leave from the PGA Tour to deal with these issues.”
Kirk, a pro since 2007, finished second in the FedEx Cup Playoffs in 2014, including a win at the Deutsche Bank Championship, and has been ranked as high as No. 16 in the world.
But the University of Georgia grad had missed 11 of 19 cuts this year, with just one top-25 finish.
“I don’t know when I will be back, but for now I need my full focus on being the man my family deserves,” said Kirk, who timed his announcement with his 34th birthday. “Thank you for your support.”