Chris Kirk became the fifth rookie to win this season taking advantage of soft greens and fairways to capture the PGA Tour’s Viking Classic on Sunday. The 26-year-old Kirk fired a closing four-under 68 to finish at 22-under 266 and a one shot win over American compatriots Tom Pernice and George McNeill. It was the first PGA win for Clark who joined Jhonattan Vegas, Charl Schwartzel, Brendan Steele and Keegan Bradley as rookie winners. He has won twice on the lower level Nationwide Tour this year. “It’s amazing,” Kirk said. “It’s something I’ve been working on for a long, long time, and to get it here was a little bit extra special. “After the tournament being nice enough to give me a sponsor exemption for me to make my pro debut in 2007 a week after I turned professional, I haven’t been back since then. So to be back here now and get my first win here in the same place where I had my pro debut is pretty cool.” He hit a 140-yard approach over water to within five feet of the hole for an easy birdie putt to break the deadlock with McNeill on the 17th hole. “People sometimes make more of it than what it is,” Kirk said. “It was 140 yards and it was a nine iron, so I was aiming right at the pin and nowhere else. That was my only thought.” Bud Cauley (67), Hunter Haas (68) and Jim Renner (68) shared fourth at 20- under 268. Kirk played his first PGA Tour event at the Viking Classic four years ago, but he missed the cut.
Kirk makes triumphant return
