“God, just to be in it and be there and have a chance and then to finish it off is so gratifying”.
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At No. 18, Walker only briefly considered playing the hole as a three-shot par-5, choosing instead to hit 3-wood to the green from 289 yards.
The American fended off an incredible final hole eagle from world No 1 Jason Day to land his first Slam event.
Day and Walker were two of 12 players to play 36 holes on Sunday after the Saturday round was delayed, a third round of 67 cutting Walker’s 54-hole deficit to one.
But Day, finishing up ahead, finally came alive by knocking in a 14-foot putt for an eagle and cutting Walker’s lead to a single stroke.
“It’s hard for me to grade my game because every shot I was giving a hundred percent, ” Day said.
On Friday, the cup on No. 10 was put on the wrong side of the green but the PGA Rules Committee didn’t notice it until the first group off that tee had already hit their second shots so the cup was left on the right side for the remainder of the round.
Walker briefly contemplated laying up on the par-five 18th before opting to try to reach the green, adding: “I figured 19 times out of 20 you’re going to make a five going for the green from right there”.
Walker celebrated by picking up his son in one arm and waving to the 18th hole gallery with his other before hugging Jason Day in a great display of sportsmanship.
Ariya Jutanugarn won the Women’s British Open on Sunday at Woburn for her first major championship and fourth LPGA Tour victory of the year, including the LPGA Volvik Championship in Ann Arbor.
“I know how it feels”, Day said. And two putts later – the second from a nervy three feet – Walker had his maiden Major title.
“For me, it was a matter of time for me”, Walker said after securing a one-shot victory over Jason Day at Baltusrol Golf Club.
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. Luckily the weather held off and, although it was a wet finish, no one is sticking around on Monday, which is what happened at the 2005 PGA at Baltusrol.
“So it would have been nice, but we all understand we were trying to get the championship in”.
Jimmy Walker: Managed to make a pressure-packed 3-footer to win a major title look routine. His first putt carried some speed and drifted three feet by the hole leaving a putt nobody wants to have with a major championship on the line.
Two bogeys in the opening three holes ultimately proved costly as he failed to make up the deficit despite birdies at the fifth, ninth and 11th holes and then his eagle at the 18th in a three-under 67.
“I was a little bit disappointed with the (British) Open this year”.
Daniel Summerhays was third at 10 under for the championship after closing with a 66, with fellow American Brooks Koepka (70), South African Branden Grace (67) and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (68) sharing fourth spot a further shot behind.
He wasn’t the best player this week because Texan Jimmy Walker, who at 38 and with no top-10 finishes since March, was suddenly and simply too good.
“I’m just really happy to finish birdie, birdie in both rounds today and post a decent score”.
I’m not going to lie, it’s tough.
John Senden and Adam Scott finished as the next best of the Australians after Day when they tied for 18th at 5 under and nine shots from the victor.
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“But I’m going to sleep pretty well tonight I think”. “I believe it will soon”.
