Chris Kirk aced the par-3 14th hole on his way to grabbing a one-stroke lead after Thursday's first round of the PGA St. Jude's Championship. The 39-year-old American, seeking his seventh PGA triumph, fired a six-under par 64 at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, in the FedEx Cup playoff opener. Sharing second on 65 were Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, playing without his regular caddie and coach after a London restaurant robbery, plus Canada's Taylor Pendrith and France's Matthieu Pavon.

On a hot day, Kirk had the most sizzling shot of all when he played a 6-iron high draw from 205 yards at 14 that landed 10 feet right of the flagstick, then bounced and rolled into the hole. "I was just trying to hit it left of the hole and make a three," Kirk said. "Didn't quite come off where I was looking. I was like, 'Oh my God.' "Just trying to hit it in the middle of the green. I was just swinging really good and the ball sensed it, just found it's way in the right direction."

The hole-in-one, the fourth of Kirk's PGA career, gave him a three-stroke lead but a closing bogey brought him back near the pack.

Kirk, the 2014 playoff runner-up, captured the PGA season-opening tournament of champions in Hawaii after winning last year's Honda Classic. He sought "boring" but consistent play and began well with birdies on a putt from just over 11 feet at the par-4 second and just beyond 18 feet at the par-5 third.

Kirk also birdied from just inside 20 feet at the sixth and dropped his approach inches from the hole at the ninth for a tap-in birdie. A 17-foot birdie putt at the 12th set the stage for the crucial ace.

"The goal is to trust yourself and make it as boring as possible," Kirk said. "That was my plan and I was doing it for the first 13 holes. Very consistent, steady, hitting solid shots, making a few putts here and there -- 14 was not boring golf."

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<h2>- Matsuyama robbed but OK -</h2>

Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion,&nbsp;was robbed in London on a stopover on his way to the United States from the Paris Olympics, where he took the bronze medal. While Matsuyama only lost his wallet, his caddie, Shota Hiyato, and coach, Mikhito Kuromiya, lost their passports and visas and returned to Japan in hopes of getting new paperwork and returning to Matsuyama before the playoffs end in two weeks at East Lake in Atlanta.

"It was an unfortunate situation," Matsuyama said. "Luckily I only lost my wallet... we're trying hard now to get their visas back in line. "We're pushing hard, looking toward East Lake. Shota will make it, I think, but my coach probably won't."

The robbery has not thrown off Matsuyama, who says, "I've forgotten it completely" and notes he talks by phone to his coach every night. "We didn't even know it happened," he said. "We were just having a friendly dinner and Shota was the first one -- hey, where's my bag? Of course it was frustrating, but we really didn't know it happened. It was just kind of all of a sudden. We had already paid the check."

Matsuyama's caddie this week is Taiga Tabuchi, the regular bagman for Japan's Ryo Hisatsune. "Taiga did a great job today, so we'll just see how it goes," said Matsuyama. "I'm playing well and that momentum has carried over. Now it's just whether or not the results can go with it."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Chris Kirk aced the par-3 14th hole on his way to grabbing a one-stroke lead after Thursday's first round of the PGA St. Jude's Championship. The 39-year-old American, seeking his seventh PGA triumph, fired a six-under par 64 at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, in the FedEx Cup playoff opener.

Chris Kirk aced the par-3 14th hole on his way to grabbing a one-stroke lead after Thursday's first round of the PGA St. Jude's Championship. The 39-year-old American, seeking his seventh PGA triumph, fired a six-under par 64 at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, in the FedEx Cup playoff opener. Sharing second on 65 were Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, playing without his regular caddie and coach after a London restaurant robbery, plus Canada's Taylor Pendrith and France's Matthieu Pavon. On a hot day, Kirk had the most sizzling shot of all when he played a 6-iron high draw from 205 yards at 14 that landed 10 feet right of the flagstick, then bounced and rolled into the hole. "I was just trying to hit it left of the hole and make a three," Kirk said. "Didn't quite come off where I was looking. I was like, 'Oh my God.' "Just trying to hit it in the middle of the green. I was just swinging really good and the ball sensed it, just found it's way in the right direction." The hole-in-one, the fourth of Kirk's PGA career, gave him a three-stroke lead but a closing bogey brought him back near the pack. Kirk, the 2014 playoff runner-up, captured the PGA season-opening tournament of champions in Hawaii after winning last year's Honda Classic. He sought "boring" but consistent play and began well with birdies on a putt from just over 11 feet at the par-4 second and just beyond 18 feet at the par-5 third. Kirk also birdied from just inside 20 feet at the sixth and dropped his approach inches from the hole at the ninth for a tap-in birdie. A 17-foot birdie putt at the 12th set the stage for the crucial ace. "The goal is to trust yourself and make it as boring as possible," Kirk said. "That was my plan and I was doing it for the first 13 holes. Very consistent, steady, hitting solid shots, making a few putts here and there -- 14 was not boring golf." Also read: Three arrested, fourth wanted in Barcelona star Lamine Yamal father’s stabbing - Matsuyama robbed but OK - Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, was robbed in London on a stopover on his way to the United States from the Paris Olympics, where he took the bronze medal. While Matsuyama only lost his wallet, his caddie, Shota Hiyato, and coach, Mikhito Kuromiya, lost their passports and visas and returned to Japan in hopes of getting new paperwork and returning to Matsuyama before the playoffs end in two weeks at East Lake in Atlanta. "It was an unfortunate situation," Matsuyama said. "Luckily I only lost my wallet... we're trying hard now to get their visas back in line. "We're pushing hard, looking toward East Lake. Shota will make it, I think, but my coach probably won't." The robbery has not thrown off Matsuyama, who says, "I've forgotten it completely" and notes he talks by phone to his coach every night. "We didn't even know it happened," he said. "We were just having a friendly dinner and Shota was the first one -- hey, where's my bag? Of course it was frustrating, but we really didn't know it happened. It was just kind of all of a sudden. We had already paid the check." Matsuyama's caddie this week is Taiga Tabuchi, the regular bagman for Japan's Ryo Hisatsune. "Taiga did a great job today, so we'll just see how it goes," said Matsuyama. "I'm playing well and that momentum has carried over. Now it's just whether or not the results can go with it." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Chris Kirk takes PGA lead as Hideki Matsuyama shrugs off 'robbery' to take second spot

Chris Kirk fired eight birdies in a seven-under par 66 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead over Akshay Bhatia going into the final round of the US PGA Tour Sentry tournament in Kapalua, Hawaii.

With windy conditions driving up scores on the par-73 Plantation course, Kirk shook off an early bogey with four straight birdies on the front nine, capping the burst with a 16-foot birdie at the eighth.

He strung together three more at the 12th, 13th and 14th to seize a share of the lead and gave himself a birdie of less than a foot at the par-five 18th to take the solo lead with a 21-under par total of 198.

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"A little bit of a slow start, for sure," Kirk said. "Those firsthand full of holes with the wind direction and how strong it was are actually playing really difficult. We've had relatively calm winds, then pretty breezy today.

"Then you get into five, six, seven, some of those holes where you can take advantage of, and (I) played really great the rest of the way," added Kirk, who won his fifth tour title at the Honda Classic last year to end a near eight-year drought.

Kirk said the wind was a factor in his biggest miscue of the day, a tee shot into the penalty area at 15.

"I only hit it barely right, but with that wind blowing so hard over the left it just took it over there," said Kirk, who holed a par-saving putt from off the green.

"To make that one after a nice run of birdies before that definitely kept the momentum going," he said.

Bhatia had one of the day's handful of bogey-free rounds with seven birdies in his seven-under 66 for 199.

That included a burst of three in a row from the fifth through the seventh, and a 12-foot birdie at 13 briefly gave him the outright lead.

He was tied for the lead after a 17-foot birdie at 15, but he couldn't pick up another stroke, finishing with a disappointing three-putt par at 18.

"That's what I'm going to think about, but it was a good day," said the 21-year-old who is playing Kapalua for the first time after winning his maiden title at the Barracuda Championship last July.

The elite season-opening event, this year with a purse of $20 million, is open to last season's tournament winners and to the top 50 in last year's FedEx Cup.

Bhatia said he was relying on the experience of his caddie to know when to attack and when to be more conservative on the unfamiliar course.

"You've got to make a lot of birdies," he said. "You just keep plotting around and hopefully you play this golf course more and more you get more comfortable on certain things."

Former champion Jordan Spieth also went bogey-free with six birdies in his six-under 67 to headline a trio on 200 that also included Xander Schauffele and South Korean An Byeong-hun.

Schauffele had nine birdies in an impressive eight-under par 65 while An carded a 68.

World number one Scottie Scheffler, who held a one-shot overnight lead, carded a one-under 71 to join a group three off the pace on 201. He was tied with Harris English (64) Sahith Theegala (68) and Australian Jason Day (67).

Chris Kirk fired eight birdies in a seven-under par 66 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead over Akshay Bhatia going into the final round of the US PGA Tour Sentry tournament in Kapalua, Hawaii.

Chris Kirk fired eight birdies in a seven-under par 66 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead over Akshay Bhatia going into the final round of the US PGA Tour Sentry tournament in Kapalua, Hawaii. With windy conditions driving up scores on the par-73 Plantation course, Kirk shook off an early bogey with four straight birdies on the front nine, capping the burst with a 16-foot birdie at the eighth. He strung together three more at the 12th, 13th and 14th to seize a share of the lead and gave himself a birdie of less than a foot at the par-five 18th to take the solo lead with a 21-under par total of 198. Also Read: FA Cup: Alexander Isak stars as Newcastle United beat bitter rivals Sunderland; Leicester beat Millwall "A little bit of a slow start, for sure," Kirk said. "Those firsthand full of holes with the wind direction and how strong it was are actually playing really difficult. We've had relatively calm winds, then pretty breezy today. "Then you get into five, six, seven, some of those holes where you can take advantage of, and (I) played really great the rest of the way," added Kirk, who won his fifth tour title at the Honda Classic last year to end a near eight-year drought. Kirk said the wind was a factor in his biggest miscue of the day, a tee shot into the penalty area at 15. "I only hit it barely right, but with that wind blowing so hard over the left it just took it over there," said Kirk, who holed a par-saving putt from off the green. "To make that one after a nice run of birdies before that definitely kept the momentum going," he said. Bhatia had one of the day's handful of bogey-free rounds with seven birdies in his seven-under 66 for 199. That included a burst of three in a row from the fifth through the seventh, and a 12-foot birdie at 13 briefly gave him the outright lead. He was tied for the lead after a 17-foot birdie at 15, but he couldn't pick up another stroke, finishing with a disappointing three-putt par at 18. "That's what I'm going to think about, but it was a good day," said the 21-year-old who is playing Kapalua for the first time after winning his maiden title at the Barracuda Championship last July. The elite season-opening event, this year with a purse of $20 million, is open to last season's tournament winners and to the top 50 in last year's FedEx Cup. Bhatia said he was relying on the experience of his caddie to know when to attack and when to be more conservative on the unfamiliar course. "You've got to make a lot of birdies," he said. "You just keep plotting around and hopefully you play this golf course more and more you get more comfortable on certain things." Former champion Jordan Spieth also went bogey-free with six birdies in his six-under 67 to headline a trio on 200 that also included Xander Schauffele and South Korean An Byeong-hun. Schauffele had nine birdies in an impressive eight-under par 65 while An carded a 68. World number one Scottie Scheffler, who held a one-shot overnight lead, carded a one-under 71 to join a group three off the pace on 201. He was tied with Harris English (64) Sahith Theegala (68) and Australian Jason Day (67).

Golf: Chris Kirk takes on top with one-shot lead at PGA Tour Sentry Open

Chris&nbsp;Kirk&nbsp;birdied the first playoff hole to beat Eric Cole at the Honda Classic on Sunday, ending a near eight-year title drought with his fifth US PGA Tour triumph. It was an emotional win for the 37-year-old American, whose last victory at Colonial in 2015 was followed by time away from the game in 2019 to deal with depression and alcohol misuse.

He took a two-shot lead into the final round and carded a one-under-par 69, shaking off a bogey at the 72nd hole with a birdie when they returned again to 18 for the first hole of the playoff.

There&nbsp;Kirk&nbsp;spun his approach within a foot of the pin while Cole was in a greenside bunker and missed a 10-foot birdie attempt to extend the playoff.

"I just have so much to be thankful for,"&nbsp;Kirk&nbsp;said. "I'm so grateful. I'm so grateful for my sobriety. I'm so grateful for my family. I'm so grateful for everyone that's supported me throughout the past three or four years especially."

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Cole, who is a US tour rookie this season at the age of 34 -- and with 56 professional wins behind him on the Minor League Golf Tour mini-tour -- carded a final-round 67 on the par-70 PGA National course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where he joined&nbsp;Kirk&nbsp;in finishing with a 72-hole total of 14-under par 266.

He and&nbsp;Kirk&nbsp;dueled all day and finished two strokes in front of third-placed Tyler Duncan, who carded a 66 for 268.

Kirk&nbsp;got off to a quick start, rolling in a 17-foot birdie putt at the opening hole.

After a bogey at the second he got up and down for birdie from a greenside bunker at the third and rolled in a 34-foot birdie at the eighth to take a two-shot lead.

Cole had kept in touch with birdies at the third, fourth and fifth -- where he snaked in a 70-foot putt.

He was in the water for a bogey at the sixth, but after a birdie at 11 pulled him back within one stroke he grabbed the outright lead at the 13th as he rapped in a seven-foot birdie putt while&nbsp;Kirk&nbsp;bogeyed.

Cole gave back a stroke with a bogey at 15, where he needed two shots to get out of a greenside bunker, and&nbsp;Kirk&nbsp;regained the solo lead with a 19-foot birdie at the 16th.

<h2>Cole hangs tough</h2>

Kirk&nbsp;couldn't close it out at 18, however, as his second shot from the fairway found the water and he was unable to convert a 16-foot par-saving putt.

"I was obviously very, very nervous today having not won in so long,"&nbsp;Kirk&nbsp;said.

"Coming down the stretch, I felt good. Obviously that putt on 16 was huge and was in a great position on 18, just made a bad swing at the wrong time."

Cole, who is the son of former PGA Tour player Bobby Cole and former LPGA player Laura Baugh, called it a "great week overall."

"I felt like I hung pretty tough, and I was really proud of that," he said.

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Chris Kirk birdied the first playoff hole to beat Eric Cole at the Honda Classic on Sunday, ending a near eight-year title drought with his fifth US PGA Tour triumph.

Chris Kirk birdied the first playoff hole to beat Eric Cole at the Honda Classic on Sunday, ending a near eight-year title drought with his fifth US PGA Tour triumph. It was an emotional win for the 37-year-old American, whose last victory at Colonial in 2015 was followed by time away from the game in 2019 to deal with depression and alcohol misuse. He took a two-shot lead into the final round and carded a one-under-par 69, shaking off a bogey at the 72nd hole with a birdie when they returned again to 18 for the first hole of the playoff. There Kirk spun his approach within a foot of the pin while Cole was in a greenside bunker and missed a 10-foot birdie attempt to extend the playoff. "I just have so much to be thankful for," Kirk said. "I'm so grateful. I'm so grateful for my sobriety. I'm so grateful for my family. I'm so grateful for everyone that's supported me throughout the past three or four years especially." Also Read: Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson to feature in controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf League Cole, who is a US tour rookie this season at the age of 34 -- and with 56 professional wins behind him on the Minor League Golf Tour mini-tour -- carded a final-round 67 on the par-70 PGA National course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where he joined Kirk in finishing with a 72-hole total of 14-under par 266. He and Kirk dueled all day and finished two strokes in front of third-placed Tyler Duncan, who carded a 66 for 268. Kirk got off to a quick start, rolling in a 17-foot birdie putt at the opening hole. After a bogey at the second he got up and down for birdie from a greenside bunker at the third and rolled in a 34-foot birdie at the eighth to take a two-shot lead. Cole had kept in touch with birdies at the third, fourth and fifth -- where he snaked in a 70-foot putt. He was in the water for a bogey at the sixth, but after a birdie at 11 pulled him back within one stroke he grabbed the outright lead at the 13th as he rapped in a seven-foot birdie putt while Kirk bogeyed. Cole gave back a stroke with a bogey at 15, where he needed two shots to get out of a greenside bunker, and Kirk regained the solo lead with a 19-foot birdie at the 16th. Cole hangs tough Kirk couldn't close it out at 18, however, as his second shot from the fairway found the water and he was unable to convert a 16-foot par-saving putt. "I was obviously very, very nervous today having not won in so long," Kirk said. "Coming down the stretch, I felt good. Obviously that putt on 16 was huge and was in a great position on 18, just made a bad swing at the wrong time." Cole, who is the son of former PGA Tour player Bobby Cole and former LPGA player Laura Baugh, called it a "great week overall." "I felt like I hung pretty tough, and I was really proud of that," he said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Golf: Chris Kirk beats Eric Cole in playoff to win Honda Classic

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Chris Kirk takes PGA lead as Hideki Matsuyama shrugs off 'robbery' to take second spot

Golf: Chris Kirk takes on top with one-shot lead at PGA Tour Sentry Open

Golf: Chris Kirk beats Eric Cole in playoff to win Honda Classic