Golf Year in Review #5: Jimmy Walker Wins the PGA Championship

Talk about languishing on Tour as a veteran before finding his way to the winner’s circle!

Jimmy Walker was a journeyman pro, arriving on the PGA TOUR in 2005 after playing off and on the Nationwide Tour since 2001 where he collected his first two professional wins.

The big-hitting Oklahoman had a rocky start to his Tour career. His 2005 campaign was injury-plagued. He saw very little success in 2006 and ended up back on the Nationwide Tour in 2007 where he got his third professional win. He got back on Tour for the 2008 season, but again struggled. He finished too far down on the money list to get his rights to play on Tour, so he went to PGA TOUR Q-school to secure his card for 2009.

Since then, Walker has been improving his play while making a name for himself.

He won three events at the start of the 2014 season, the first of his PGA Tour career. He would finish fourth on the Tour money list that year, and would follow that with an excellent 2015 campaign, finishing 10th on the money list.

But in 2016, he won his first major, the PGA Championship.

Walker started hot at the Lower Course at Baltusrol Golf Club firing a first round 65 which gave him a one-stroke lead over three players, including two-time major champion Martin Kaymer, and a two-stroke lead over a group of four that included newly-minted Open Champion Henrik Stenson.

On day two, Robert Streb fired a 63 while Walker followed up his brilliant first round with an excellent 66. The two men shared the lead at 9-under. In the group at 7-under was the defending PGA Champion, Jason Day.

Dangerous weather rolled into the area and Walker, along with several other players, couldn’t even begin their rounds. When play resumed on Sunday, Walker continued his fine play, posting a 68 to put him at 11-under, one shot ahead of Day.

That afternoon, Walker and Day each shot 67, but because the third round pairings were kept for the final round, fans missed the chance to see them showdown in the same group on Sunday afternoon.

The fact that the two leaders were in the same group was anticlimactic as they had pulled away from the pack. Day finished three strokes ahead of Daniel Summerhays, who finished third. Had Walker and Day been paired together, we might have seen an incredible match between two of the best players, and certainly two of the longest hitters on Tour.

As it was, though, Walker prevailed, taking his first major after many years chasing his dream.

And, secured his spot on this countdown.

Cover Image via YouTube