“I thought, ‘Let’s try to finish with a bang, give him something to think about, ‘ ” said Day. “I wouldn’t have called this, but it’s huge”.
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Gibson birdied five of the last seven holes for a 62. The world No. 2 Dustin Johnson failed to make the cut after shooting 9-over Thursday and Friday, which only helped matters.
And somehow he managed a bogey-free round.
“But under the circumstances, that’s just how they work”, said Day, who added he agreed with the PGA’s decision to not re-pair. “Hats off, because it’s not easy to win tournaments and he controlled himself pretty darn well all day”.
The stress level increased exponentially as the daylight began to fade. “But I didn’t play my best today and I needed to bring a better game today to have a chance”.
In an instant, the grandstand spectators were up roaring.
“Yes”, Day quickly shot back. His 14-footer caught just enough of the right edge before disappearing.
Australian Day had to settle for second place at 13 under after applying late pressure on Walker by sinking a 14-foot eagle putt at the par-five last for a 67. “I’m starting to play some really good golf again”. “It was nice to have the long break in between the rounds”, said the champion.
“It’s surreal. I mean, it really is”, Walker said after claiming his sixth USA tour win. The final birdie was the most important.
Jimmy Walker has won the 2016 PGA Championship at Baltusrol, earning his first major win, The Associated Press reports.
Walker did not have an opportunity to bask in the glory.
“Jason is a true champion – eagle at 18, I would expect nothing less”. So, you know, kudos to him. This is how you grow as a player and as a person and get better.
“I know exactly how Jimmy feels because I did exactly that past year”. He then made his worst swing of the day with his 3-wood flaring the ball out right and leaving it in the wet rough.
“I was thinking positive”, Walker said of his approach shot. “It was nice to get the eagle but obviously Jimmy just played too good all day”. He contemplated laying up to 110 yards but decided he “could make par 19 of 20 times by going for the green”.
Because both rounds were going on simultaneously, the grounds crew workers weren’t able to attend to the greens as they usually does between rounds and that meant the greens were slower than usual and there were a ton of putts left short of the hole. The next putt was dead center. “He’s really good, ‘” Walker said.
“All in all, I’m pretty pleased to come off the win at The Open and then be right up there contending the week after”. “Still got to play 36 holes, see how many we get in”.
Kevin Kisner finished his third round Saturday with a 65 for 5-under 205. He traded two birdies and two bogeys on his last eight holes.
England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who finished fifth behind Stenson at Royal Troon a fortnight ago, carded a closing 68 to finish in a tie for 10th alongside compatriot Paul Casey, who shot 67.
Walker will defend his title in 2017, when the PGA Championship will be played at Charlotte’s Quail Hollow Club.
That could have taken away some drama, and Day said he would have enjoyed being in the final pairing with Walker. Some guys just need longer to get comfortable in uncomfortable situations. With that, every one of this year’s major winners was a first-timer, the first time that’s happened since 2011. His signature shot of the round came at No. 10, where his 23-foot bunker shot dropped into the hole.
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He became the first wire-to-wire PGA champion since Phil Mickelson won, also at Baltusrol in 2005.
