Dark days behind him, Chris Kirk's path back from alcoholism to PGA Tour should be a model for other sports

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BLAINE, Minn. — Cameron Tringale made a short par putt on the treacherous par-5 18th hole at the 3M Open for a 5-under 66 and a one-stroke lead Saturday over Gary Woodland and Maverick McNealy. RELATED: Leaderboard | A virus threat took Marc Leishman’s Olympic dream once, but not this time Tringale, who tied for third last year at the TPC Twin Cities, eagled the par-5 12th and had three birdies in a bogey-free round. Winless on the PGA TOUR, the 33-year-old topped the crowded leaderboard at 12-under 201. Woodland overcame a double bogey on No. 1 with birdies on five of his next six holes in a 67. McNealy had a bogey-free 68. Pat Perez shot a 66 to join an eight-way tie for fourth, two shots off the lead. Four players were three strokes back. Louis Oosthuizen, the highest-ranked player remaining at No. 9 in the world and in the FedExCup standings, was in a six-way tie for 16th place at only four shots behind. During yet another unseasonable day of 90-plus-degree heat, the scores crept up throughout the afternoon with the thermometer as drier and breezier air affected the play. Keith Mitchell had a record-tying seven straight birdies to start his round on his way to a 29 on the back nine. The front nine? He posted a 37 for a 66 that left him four strokes behind Tringale. Rickie Fowler birdied six of his first 10 holes, before a triple bogey on the 18th left him with a 70 and a tie for 29th in a six-stroke deficit. The mini-lake in front of the 18th hole swallowed up a lot of balls. It’s currently ranked as the hardest par 5 on the PGA TOUR. There were nine bogeys and 12 scores worse than that Saturday. Mitchell matched Juan Sebastián Muñoz (2020), Brandt Snedeker (2007) and Joe Durant (2005) with seven birdies in a row to begin the round. The 29-year-old Mitchell, whose only career PGA TOUR victory came in the Honda Classic in 2019, had his streak stopped when a putt lipped out on the 17th green. Then the hot air grew drier and breezier, forcing a more conservative approach. The momentum shift, he said, was palpable. His tee shot on box No. 1 after the turn landed into the native grass area. “I was like, ‘If I keep swinging like this and executing like this, we’re going to have a chance, and then the wind picked up and I clearly didn’t,’” said Mitchell, who described his day as “two completely different rounds.” The first half of his card was clearly a keeper. “I actually felt some nerves a little bit, but they were good nerves. It was a good kind of nervous, not like the ‘Hope I don’t miss the cup’ nerves or ‘Where do we stand on the FedExCup’ nerves. It’s more of like, ‘Hey, I’m in contention again, and I want to play well’ nerves, and those are the good kind. Those are the fun kind.” With only three tournaments remaining after this prior to the FedExCup Playoffs, Mitchell is one of several golfers near the 125-man cut who could use a strong performance on Sunday to create a bigger cushion. Mitchell entered the week ranked 114th. Perez was 115th. Chez Reavie, who was two strokes behind Tringale, was 119th. Fowler was 124th.

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Jarrod Lyle’s recovery from a third bout of cancer has been hit with a mystery illness that has resulted in a loss of vision and has the former PGA TOUR player back in hospital. Lyle underwent a haploidentical transplant and stem cell therapy back in his native Australia in December to deal with a third acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis and was recovering well until recently. In the last week the two-time Web.com Tour winner’s vision has deteriorated into a complete blur and doctors are baffled as to why. It is a condition that may be irreversible. “Dealing with it is not real crash hot, but hopefully we are getting closer to a diagnosis of exactly what’s going on,� Lyle said on Australia radio station SEN. “I’m having every test known to mankind to try to figure out what’s going on with it. “One of the head neurologists said it’s a very, very rare thing he’s only seen once or twice so they are not sure whether it is going to reversible or not, it depends on how much damage has been done up until now. “I hope it is reversible but you have to have the worst-case scenario in the back of your head and be ready to live with blurred vision – not being able to drive and look after your kids and yourself that well. It is a bit of a tough pill to swallow.� Lyle was first struck with cancer as a teenager but survived against the odds and then forged a decent PGA TOUR career. After his best ever result of a T4 finish at the Genesis Open in 2012, it returned. Miraculously he recovered once more and again tried his best to return to the TOUR but was unable to reclaim his card and as such returned to Australia to play his home tour, dabble in some commentary and take up a business selling golf apparel. The cancer came back again last year but he continues to fight. The TOUR family got behind his plight, helping to fundraise for his treatment and life with wife Briony and young daughters Lusi (6) and Gemma (2). The 36-year-old has had some dark moments but refuses to give in. “I just feel like my body has had enough – I feel like it is ready to give up. Every little thing that comes my way turns into something a bit bigger but I guess I just still have that fighting spirit I’ve always had and want to get through it,� Lyle admitted bluntly. “I had a little moment where I burst in tears and had a bit of a sook about it all but there are still a lot of things I want to do in life. “And watching my girls grow up and being there for them and being there for Bri as much as I can… those are probably the three main things that keep me going every day. “I realize no matter how bad it gets there is always that light at the end of the tunnel and I’m looking for that light, and while I just can’t see it at the moment I know it is there. And I know I have to keep fighting to get there.� With thousands of well wishes coming from around the world, Lyle also recognizes his fight can impact others. He expects to be in the hospital for a few weeks while more tests and a treatment plan are carried out, but he hopes things turn around again soon. “I want to be that person that people down the track draw strength from my story,� he said. Plenty already do.

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