Jimmy Walker Wins Maiden Major US PGA Championship

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest News, Sports News Monday, August 1st, 2016

BALTIMORE, MD (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Jimmy Walker has won his first major with a one-shot victory at the US PGA Championship at Baltusrol.

The 37-year-old American closed with a bogey-free three-under-par 67 to hold off Australia’s world number one Jason Day (67) and win on 14 under.

Elated Walker who is rated 48th in the world, savour his victory when said: “It is surreal, an incredible finish”.

For the first time in the last five years, all four of the year’s majors have been claimed by first-time winners.

On their own, England’s Tyrrell Hatton (68) and Paul Casey (67) ended on seven under.

It would be recalled England’s Danny Willett won the Masters in April; American Dustin Johnson took the US Open in June, while Swede Stenson won the Open a fortnight ago.

Following the threat of storms, Walker was forced to abandon the play Saturday, but returned Sunday morning with 49 for round three.

He subsequently carded a 68 to take a one-shot lead over defending champion Day, who had shot a 67, into the afternoon’s final round.

The winner holed half-a-dozen putts of between three and five feet as he opened with nine straight pars to reach the turn on 11 under.

Thereafter, Walker pitched in from a bunker on the 10th for a birdie and followed with a 30-foot putt on the next to get to 13 under.

American Daniel Summerhays (66) was third on 10 under, while Open champion Henrik Stenson faded with a 71 to finish joint seventh on eight under.

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