Jimmy Walker finds his footing
PGA Championship: Walker opens with 65, leads major for first time
SPRINGFIELD, N.J. (AP) — A drab year for Jimmy Walker took a turn for the worse two weeks ago at the British Open, when he stayed in what was dubbed the “frat house” at Royal Troon with Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas, Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson.
Walker was the only one to miss the cut.
He still stayed the weekend. He just stayed away from the golf course, and his clubs. How does one kill time in such a small Scottish town?
“When the first guy comes back and he’s ready for a cocktail, you have one,” Walker said.
Thursday in the PGA Championship, the drinks were on Walker.
In the final major of the year, Walker finally saw enough putts to fall at Baltusrol that he matched his low score in a major with a 5-under 65 and wound up leading a major for the first time in his career. Just like that, a stale year came to life. Walker had a one-shot lead over twotime major champion Martin Kaymer, Emiliano Grillo and Ross Fisher.
And for Henrik Stenson, a great year might get even better. Coming off his record performance at the British Open, the Swede had three birdies on the back nine as the sweltering heat gave way to dark clouds and 20 mph gusts. That gave him a 67, leaving him two shots behind. Stenson is trying to join Ben Hogan in 1953 as the only players to win back-to-back majors at age 40.
“It’s going to be a great season for me,” Stenson said. “But at the same time, I want to give myself a chance to try to make it the best season.”
It wasn’t the best of times for Dustin Johnson or Rory McIlroy.
Johnson, the U.S. Open champion with a chance to go to No. 1 in the world, was in the trees, in the water and couldn’t get out of a bunker. He managed only one birdie in a round of 77 that wasn’t enough to beat 15 of the club pros at Baltusrol.
He wasn’t alone in his misery. McIlroy took 35 putts and didn’t make a single birdie in his round of 74 that left him so frustrated that he returned to Baltusrol late in the day with only his putter.
Walker’s year has been so mediocre that he has finished within five shots of the winner only once this year, at Torrey Pines. He is on the verge of falling out of the top 50 in the world ranking and hasn’t given as much thought to Ryder Cup with qualifying a month away from ending.