A run of nine straight pars was enough to keep Walker’s nose in front before the world number 48 – the lowest ranked major victor since world number 108 Keegan Bradley won the 2011 US PGA – doubled his lead in brilliant fashion by holing out from a bunker on the 10th.
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Though Walker felt some improvement last week at the Canadian Open, he’d struggled much of the year, particularly in the majors. He did have his moments, but he never really was a threat to Walker.
The 37 year old scored a birdie on the next to last hole and ended 14 under 266 (65-66-68-67), a stroke ahead of Australia Day (68-65-67-67), who nearly caught up with him with a prodigious eagle on the last hole of the match. “I thought I played some decent golf, but it wasn’t one of those golf courses that really suited me”.
Jimmy Walker goes wire-to-wire at the PGA Championship thanks to a timely hole-out from the sand. And after Day eagled 18 to close within one stroke, Walker played a solid third shot from the rough near the 18th green, then two-putted in near darkness for his first major title. Day finished 13 under par. “It feels sweet. It’s unbelievable”. “Who knew it would bring me right here, but it is pretty incredible”.
Day played the fourth round with Argentinian Emiliano Grillo (68, 6 under, T13), one tee time ahead of Walker and Robert Streb (69, 8 under, T7).
It got better for Walker though.
“I just don’t know why the finishes have finished the way they have”. He deservedly now wears the tag of major victor, and takes his place among golf’s immortal elite as a result. What’s more, after Henrik Stenson’s win at the British Open earlier in July, the 37-year-old Walker becomes the second major victor this year older than 35. In response to the inevitable roar, though, Walker – who arrived in New Jersey having missed four of his last eight cuts – holed from 12 feet for a birdie on the penultimate green. There’s not a golfer playing who would honestly claim he’d rather earn an Olympic golf medal than a major trophy – even the Wanamaker Trophy.
Jimmy’s bogey free final day – well actually final round, because he played 36 holes on Sunday, was fantastic.
Walker wrapped up a season in the majors marked by first-time winners.
Walker also moved from No. 29 to No. 4 in the Ryder Cup standings, all but assuring him a spot on the team.
Jason Day came from behind with a pair of 67s Sunday to make it an exciting finish.
It helped that Baltusrol was where he met his caddie, Andy Sanders, at a US Amateur practice round.
Walker was also forced to do it the hard way after storms meant play had to be abandoned on Saturday. Desperate to beat the clock, they sent the third-round pairings right back out for the final round, meaning Walker was playing the third round as others were playing the final round.
Stenson stumbled with a double bogey at 15, ending his hopes of becoming the fourth over-40 player to win multiple majors in the same year. “Obviously I kind of lost it there at the end, but it was a long day and a lot of fun”. “I’m starting to hit the shots again, what I’m visualizing, what I’m seeing and doing it easily now”.
The shot – which Day has called “probably one of the best 2-irons I’ve ever hit” – has been looped on highlight reels and celebrated on the Internet.
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Late bursts from Branden Grace and Daniel Summerhays were in vain while Open champion Henrik Stenson seemed to run out of steam coming down the stretch and while everything seemingly went swimmingly throughout for Walker, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama was left to reflect on what might have been.
