Jimmy Walker wins US PGA Championship

• Jimmy Walker clinches maiden major title at Baltusrol
• The American put in a nerveless display to go bogey-free
• Jason Day eagles last hole – but Walker got up and down

Jimmy Walker showed nerves of steel throughout his final round as he went bogey-free to capture his maiden major title at the US PGA Championship.

The 37-year-old, who hadn’t had a top ten in his last 11 PGA Tour events – including missed cuts at the Players Championship, US Open and the Open – shot a three-under-par final round 67 to finish one clear of second-placed Jason Day.

Read more -> BLOG: My round with Jimmy Walker

After a birdie at the 17th, it looked as though the American had it in the bag. However, Day responded by making eagle on the 18th, while Walker found the rough by the green with his second shot. Ultimately though, Walker chipped out to the centre of the green and two-putted for his par to clinch the title.

How it was won

In truth, until then it looked like plain sailing for Jimmy Walker. After a string of pars on the front nine, he seized the advantage by holing out from a greenside bunker for birdie on the tenth and that set the momentum going for another birdie on the 11th.

How’s that for your first birdie of the round? #PGAChamp https://t.co/V0uAmGG4J0 — PGA.COM (@PGAcom) July 31, 2016

What they said

Jimmy Walker: “It’s surreal. I mean, it really is. I would have said it would have happened the last couple years, the way I was playing. I just had not quite played as well as I would have liked to this year but I knew it was close. Felt some things were clicking last week. God, just to be in it and be there and have a chance and then to finish it off is just – it’s so gratifying. I mean, it really is. Everything I’ve done up to this point, helped this happen.”

Read more -> Jimmy Walker rediscovers form at Baltusrol

Jason Day (2): “It was nice to get the eagle, just to try and make Jimmy think about it, but obviously Jimmy just played too good all day. The birdie on 17 was key for him. A little disappointed, but you know what, at the end of the day, I came in here with not the greatest preparation. I’m very, very happy with how I played all week.”

Henrik Stenson (T7): “It was a long day. I never felt like I brought my A game. I was struggling most of the day. I think I hit more poor shots in the two rounds today than in the previous six or several rounds combined.”

Key stat

If there was ever a time to go bogey-free, it was this.

Jimmy Walker hasn't made a bogey today. His last bogey-free round? Thursday at The Players Championship — 25 rounds ago.

— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelESPN) July 31, 2016

On social

Friend goals.

Jimmy Walker. Rickie Fowler. pic.twitter.com/WCLhCoarmJ

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 1, 2016

UNREAL.

— Erin Walker (@tourwifetravels) August 1, 2016

JIMBOOOO! Congrats to @Jimmywalkerpga on his first major. So pumped for you bro! How many bottles of vino will the Wanamaker hold?? #champ

— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) July 31, 2016

Bits and bobs

• Jimmy Walker has moved up to No.15 in the world from No.48;
• He has also secured his Ryder Cup spot – moving up from No.29 to No.4;
• European Ryder Cup standings remain the same, with Rory McIlroy, Danny Willett, Henrik Stenson, Chris Wood, Sergio Garcia, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Justin Rose, Andy Sullivan and Matt Fitzpatrick holding the automatic positions;
• Tyrrell Hatton made it back-to-back top tens in majors;
• It was Jason Day’s fourth runner-up finish in majors since 2011 – only Phil Mickelson (five) has more;
• It’s only the fifth time in history a calendar year has four first-time major winners.

Final leaderboard

1 Jimmy Walker (65, 66, 68, 67) -14
2 Jason Day (68, 65, 67, 67) -13
3 Daniel Summerhays (70, 67, 67, 66) -10
T4 Branden Grace (70, 68, 66, 67) -9
T4 Brooks Koepka (68, 67, 66, 70) -9
T4 Hideki Matsuyama (69, 67, 67, 68) -9

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Jimmy Walker :: US PGA champion

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