Jimmy Walker beats Jason Day by one shot to win US PGA Championship
A rain-soaked final day at Baltusrol saw Jimmy Walker outlast a fast finishing Jason Day.
American Jimmy Walker has won the 2016 US PGA Championship making it four first-time major winners in 2016. Walker made par at the final hole to beat Jason Day by one stroke after the Australian made eagle at the par-5 closing hole to ensure a dramatic finish.
Walker looked to be cruising to victory, finding the middle of the greens and just inviting anyone from the rest of the field to come and get him. Day had battled to stay within reach of Walker all day and the world number one couldn’t get close enough to the hole to get any realistic birdie chances.
When Walker’s ball snuck in the side door for birdie at the 17th hole, he had a three-shot lead and victory looked likely for the 37-year-old genius astrophotographer from Oklahoma.
Jimmy Walker. #Clutch #PGAChamp https://t.co/kVBGd4g7t0
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) July 31, 2016
But Jason Day had other ideas. Two majestic shots set up and eagle putt on the at the final hole; the tournament was suddenly back on.
Golf.
— PGA.COM (@PGAcom) July 31, 2016
Walker needed a par at the last. After a testing lob shot over the bunker, Walker putted to three feet which he hold for a historic victory.
Major.
Champion. #PGAChamp https://t.co/jGV8Ze9r9H
— PGA.COM (@PGAcom) July 31, 2016
Walker’s victory means that it’s only the fifth time in history that we’ve had four first-time major winners in a year (2016, 2011, 2003, 1969, 1959). Including Jason Day’s win at Whistling Straits last year, Walker’s victory makes it five consecutive first-time major winners, something that has only ever happened twice before.
2016 Major golf champions
The Masters: Danny Willett
US Open: Dustin Johnson
The Open: Henrik Stenson
US PGA: Jimmy Walker
After a long Sunday which saw the leaders play two rounds of golf after play was abandoned due to rain on Saturday, Walker took a one stroke lead into the final round. Day had taken the lead earlier in the day, emerging from the chasing pack to card a bogey-free 67 to set up a thrilling final round.
Without a blemish in the morning, Day got off to a bad start with two bogeys in his opening three holes to fall three shots behind Walker who was showing nerves of steel.
When Day made birdie at the ninth to get back within one shot of the lead, Walker wrote down his first birdie of the day with this incredible hole out of the bunker at the 10th that had golf fans wondering if it was going to be his the 37-year-old’s moment.
Day’s birdie at the 11th was matched by Walker to maintain the two shot lead. Walker didn’t make a mistake over the closing nine holes and Day couldn’t get an approach shot close enough to the hole to get a good look at birdie until the 18th.
It was a thrilling finish to the rain-soaked tournament and considering the lack of preparation for Day that saw him only play one practice round at Baltusrol, a phenomenal effort.