American Jimmy Walker became the fourth first-time winner of a major tournament this year when he beat defending champion Jason Day by one shot and claimed the PGA Championship title on Sunday.
The Texan, world No. 48, was wire-to-wire champion as he finished with a bogey-free round of three-under par 67 at Baltusrol to finish on 14-under par.
Day, who made a sensational eagle three on the 18th hole to put pressure on Walker, finished with a 67 himself and was runner-up at 13-under par.
Walker had claimed a one-shot lead after the delayed third round was finally completed, carding a 68 to finish 11-under par and a shot ahead of defending champion Jason Day.
A run of nine straight pars was enough to keep the 37-year-old out in front before he spectacularly holed a bunker shot on the 10th, and then drained a massive putt from nearly 30 feet to give himself a two-shot cushion against Day.
Day made a spirited defence of his title, but he left himself a lot to do after starting with two bogeys in the first three holes. He bounced back with birdies on the fifth, ninth and 11th, but despite his late eagle, that was too little to catch up with the solid Walker.
The winning putt. 🏆
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 31, 2016
What a moment for Jimmy Walker at the @PGAChampionship. #QuickHits https://t.co/DZdv4pbvpu
Open champion Henrik Stenson’s bid to become the second player after Rory McIlroy in 2014 to win the PGA Championship as well came to an end when he made a double bogey on the par-4 15th hole after over-shooting the green with his second shot.
He finished with a 71 to be eight-under par.
South African Branden Grace (67), posted the clubhouse mark at nine-under par which held for a while before American Daniel Summerhays (66) went one better at 10-under par.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (68) and American Brooks Koepka (70) joined Grace at nine-under par.
World No. 3 Jordan Spieth (68) missed a birdie from six feet on the 18th to finish the tournament on six-under par.
Friend goals. 🏆
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 1, 2016
Jimmy Walker. Rickie Fowler. pic.twitter.com/WCLhCoarmJ
Also on six-under par was Padraig Harrington (68), the 2008 PGA winner. The 44-year-old Dubliner made a fast start with birdies on the third and fifth, but was unable to make any further inroads.
“They’ve put a lot of back pins out there and it’s difficult to get close to them with these soft greens,” Harrington said. “I didn’t really give myself many chances and it was a little disappointing not to birdie the last, but such is life.
“I probably played my best on Thursday and shot the worst score, which is interesting. Six-under is probably a good return on the week, although it’s obviously not good enough.”
Harrington started the week 140th in the FedEx Cup standings and needs to climb inside the top 125 before August 21 to qualify for the first play-off event the following week.
“So many things are better,” the three-time major winner added. “I’m happy with my swing, getting a lot better with my putting, getting a lot better with my mental side.
“The only thing I’m not comfortable with would be my short game. Then when I look at the PGA Tour, I’m No. 1 in bunkers and No. 4 in strokes gained around the greens, but I don’t see it so good. Maybe I need to change my attitude.”
