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Four-time PGA Tour champion Chris Kirk chooses to pass on the Thursday event to treat depression and alcohol abuse .

Chris Kirk Out of the PGA Tour

The PGA Tour is a day away, with the first swing taking place tomorrow, May 9. The event precedes the PGA Championship on May 16 and it pits against each other a large field of contestants, including Brooks Koepka, Hideki Matsuyama, and J. T. Poston.

However, four-time PGA Tour winner Chris Kirk will not attend the event, citing alcohol abuse and depression as the reasons why.

Tomorrow I will celebrate my 34th birthday but I have already begun a new and better chapter in my life. Thank you to my friends and family for being there for me. pic.twitter.com/XJjFYyojlh — Chris Kirk (@Chris_Kirk_) May 7, 2019

The silver lining is that the athlete seems to be dealing well with his issues. Nevertheless, he admitted that he would need extra help to pull through his constant relapses.

I will be taking an indefinite leave from the PGA Tour to deal with these issues. I don’t know when I will be back, but for now I need my full focus on being the man my family deserves.

Kirk’s openness about his issue is laudable as it would serve as an example for others. His own sporting achievements are many. He first attended a full PGA Tour in 2011. Since that time he has had multiple top 10 finishes

In 2014, he nearly notched up a victory against Russell Henley, Billy Horschel and Geoff Ogilvy, winning at the FedEx Cup Playoffs, finishing second behind Horschel for $3 million. His most recent victory dates back to the 2015 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, which granted him entry into the 2015 U.S. Presidents Cup team.

Kirk noted that the leave is indefinite, without any immediate plans for the golfer to return. Meanwhile, the PGA Tour continues according to plan with the schedule already published on the official page.