Walker grabs PGA lead as big hitters stumble
Baltusrol is a big brute of a course and on Thursday it did its best to knock out some golf heavyweights.
Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson entered Thursday at the PGA Championship as the two betting favourites, but they will start Friday nine and 12 shots back of first-round leader Jimmy Walker.
Walker shot a five-under par 65 in the first round and is looking to continue a trend of first-time major winners that dates back to last season when Jason Day won this championship at Whistling Straits.
The 37-year-old Walker entered the week in the midst of a disappointing season, but fresh off an encouraging tie for 14th at the RBC Canadian Open.
“The last round in Canada felt great,” Walker said after his round. “I felt like coming down the stretch on Sunday ... I did a lot of things right.”
Walker was in the morning wave of players and enjoyed perfect scoring conditions, as long as they liked it hot. Teeing off on the 10th hole before 8 a.m. — with temperatures already in the 30s and next to no breeze — Walker birdied five of his first 10 holes and stayed atop the leaderboard all day. He followed his only bogey on the sixth hole with a birdie on seven.
Players have different ways of thinking about majors, and Walker — whose best major finish is a T7 at the 2014 PGA Championship — has always tried to treat it as just another week.
“Doesn’t matter if you’re playing Hawaii at the beginning of the year or Tour Championship or you’re playing Augusta,” he said. “It’s still just golf.” But Walker understands the opportunity this week and what’s at stake.
“I do know that on Sunday with a chance to win, it will feel a little more — it will feel bigger,” he said. “I look forward to having that chance.”
McIlroy and Johnson are just hoping to have a chance to play on Sunday. McIlroy has some work to do to make the cut after shooting a four-over par 74 and Johnson might need a miracle after beating just five players in the field with his sevenover par 77.
Both players had high hopes for the week on a course that seemed perfect for the long-hitting major champions. Baltusrol is a demanding but straightforward course with very few secrets.
McIlroy was driving the ball perfectly during his practice rounds and took that form to the course, only to be let down by his putter. After missing numerous makable birdie putts, frustration set in. He finished the round third in strokes gained off the tee, but without a birdie.
“It’s fine. Look, it’s one round of golf,” McIlroy said. “I obviously want to play well but I was trying my hardest out there.”
Two-time major champion Martin Kaymer, Emiliano Grillo and Ross Fisher are one shot back of Walker after shooting 4-under 66s.
Grillo, from Argentina, also has a Canadian backstory after leading the 2015 RBC Canadian Open through one round despite having to talk his way into the country over a missing visa. He, too, credited Glen Abbey for giving him momentum.
“Last week in Canada we played in very tough conditions and that really helps going into a major,” Grillo said.
There are four golfers two shots back at three-under, including British Open champion Henrik Stenson, who is looking to win back-toback majors at age 40.
Another shot back is world No. 1 Jason Day, who is in a group of a dozen at two-under.