Q. Did you have a number in mind?
CHRIS KIRK: It was kind of always in my head that it was going to be 21, 22, something like that. Once I made those three birdies in a row, those numbers became attainable. Obviously would have loved to have done a little bit more, 15, 16, 17. 17, I hit a great 6-iron and a really great putt. That's just the way it goes sometimes. Just really happy with the way my golf game feels and excited to keep going.
Q. With golf still in front of you, but in the last start to get it done, what does it mean?
CHRIS KIRK: I never felt like it was a do-or-die type of situation. I think I was going to get to play some, but yeah, it totally changes everything being able to be back to picking my schedule like I'm used to over the last number of years. It's huge. I wouldn't have -- to go into a week and say I've got to finish top three to keep going and do it is, you know, silly.
I'm thankful God put me in a great situation, and you never know what's going to happen.
Q. I know it was a comfortable week, staying with the guys, the entire Georgia crew, and how do you reflect on the journey of the last couple of years?
CHRIS KIRK: I'm very thankful, very grateful that I'm still able to do this. The last few years have been pretty wild with some up-and-downs for me. But to be in this situation to be healthy, to have a clear mind and a clear conscience is amazing, and golf is very much secondary to that. But still it's my career, it's what I love to do and to be able to have a week like I did this week is very gratifying. I'm just beyond words thankful.
Q. How do you feel about securing your card back on the PGA TOUR?
CHRIS KIRK: It's incredible. I would have never guessed that it would work out this way this week, needing a top three finish to keep going. But you can see how much things of out of your control and when you play well and things work out thankfully. I'm so thankful to have the support of my family through these last few years, especially, it's been incredible when they probably were -- you could have called them crazy for supporting me but my wife, Tahnee, and my boys, Sawyer, Foster, Wilder, I just love them so much and I can't wait to see them.
Q. Everything that you've been through, how has that made you a better player, if at all?
CHRIS KIRK: It's allowed me to get back to being a good player again. I would say in 2013, 2014, 2015, when I was kind of at the peak of my career, that was kind of the beginning. Alcoholism is a very progressive disease, so at that time I probably was not an alcoholic; I was just on my way to being one.
After the next few years, things kind of got worse. Being able to kind of hit a reset button for me and get myself into a great place mentally and physically, and just to be able to wake up every day and just be okay with who I am and what I'm doing, I feel like I'm starting every day doing the best that I can and try to do the best I can for my family that. Is allowing me to potentially get back to the form that I had before and actually using the skill set that I've been blessed with.
Q. Everything that you've gone through as far as inventory for yourself personally, what has shifted perspective-wise and priority-wise, if anything?
CHRIS KIRK: I mean, it's more everything than anything. I think that there were a number of years there where I just wasn't very happy with who I was and what I was doing and I was just kind of trying to hide from that. I chose alcohol to kind of get me away from where I was. You know, a lot of lying and hiding and the life that you live in that situation.
But I think the biggest perspective for me is like I was saying, I can wake up every day and I'm happy that I am who I am, and I have nothing to hide. You know, I just feel like I'm doing the best I can and enjoying life. It's as simple as that.
Q. Coming back on TOUR --
CHRIS KIRK: Certainly knew that I was capable of doing it. I wouldn't exactly have pegged this is the fashion that I did it, but when I came back, I came back with absolutely no expectations. I knew I wanted to play golf again and I knew I wanted to compete. As long as I stuck with that and tried to make sure that I was enjoying what I was doing, that was all that mattered to me.
Even this week, it wasn't a huge deal for me. I'm really thankful that it worked out, but I was more focused on just enjoying what I'm doing and enjoying being here.
Q. Did you know how much you needed?
CHRIS KIRK: I wouldn't even have had any clue to be honest with you but someone from the TOUR e-mailed me and told me how many points I needed. I wasn't looking. I was just going and playing. During the off-season, they kind of let me know how many points I needed and I was able to figure it out pretty easily there.
Like I said, it wasn't like I was gung-ho this week, I'm going to go finish top three and I'm going to do this. I just wanted to come, have a fun week. I love this golf course. One of my favorite tournaments of the year and definitely didn't feel like a do-or-die scenario to me at all.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports