Jimmy Walker wins a marathon at the PGA Championship

The stars never aligned this magnificently for Jimmy Walker. The newest victor of the 2016 PGA relied well on his motor skills and did not buckle despite having to play with the genius and defending champion, Day.

“I didn’t know he had taken a three-shot advantage”, said Day, who dropped the eagle putt to close with a 67 and get within a shot of the lead. “I’m guessing we’re going to be here ’til at least Monday, hopefully not Tuesday”, Streb said.

“It was a battle the whole day”, said Walker, a five-time victor on the US tour.

Walker, ranked No. 48 in the world, had five prior wins on the PGA Tour, but his highest major finish was a tie for seventh place at the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla in Louisville, Ky. Unfortunately, two wayward drives in his first three holes came back to bite him. “He really put it on me to make a par”. Sometimes pars are hard.

Sometimes we’ll watch players adjust strategy to the situation, and often it can be a byproduct of simply overthinking it. Walker was swinging well, and he trusted that his normal process would carry him through a very unique situation.

“It was incredible”, he said.

The forecast is calling for more rain Sunday and that forced the PGA of America to use the preferred lies in an effort to complete the tournament on time. “Great stuff, mate”, he said.

Heading into last year’s PGA Championship, Day had recorded nine top-10s at the majors before he finally entered the winner’s circle. Because the pairings stayed the same in an attempt to finish, Kisner was to tee off in the final round while the leaders were still playing the front nine of their third round.

But it ended on a happy note for Walker. All the major championships, we see each other all the time.

Walker went from No. 29 in the USA standings all the way up to No. 4 because of the double points at a major.

Walker is a late bloomer who has received as much attention in recent years for his astrophotography, with some of his work recognized by NASA. He needed a performance that was out of this world in a wet and wild Sunday, and he delivered every step of the way. Those were the best scores, but Walker’s 68-67 Sunday was most impressive. Dramatically opening the face of his wedge – and not wanting to leave the ball short of the green – he played a safe shot that flew 33 feet past the hole.

Walker began the back nine of the final round by holing a 45-foot bunker shot on No. 10 and making a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 11. The final birdie on the 17th was the most important because he had a cushion.

Walker backed off an three-metre birdie putt twice at the par-5 17th then rolled the right-breaking putt into the bottom of the cup to reach 14 under.

Jutanugarn played the final five holes in 1 under for an even-par 72 and a three-stroke victory over American Mo Martin and South Korea’s Mirim Lee.

“I think I hit more poor shots in the two rounds today than in the previous six or several rounds combined. Then to hit a wood up on the green like that and nearly make a putt, that was pretty unbelievable”.

GOING TO AUGUSTA: Daniel Summerhays, who had a 66 to finish third alone, will get an invitation to the 2017 Masters for finishing in the top four. Walker matched Day’s 67 with his first bogey-free round in a major despite an off-target second shot into 18.

Day pulled within one shot with a 20-foot birdie putt at No. 11, but he never had another birdie chance closer than 25 feet until the two par 5s at the end.

“Despite that, I thought I was hanging good. I saw Davis this week and I told him, ‘Man, I’d love to be on your team.’ Haven’t played that well this year, but I feel like there’s still time for me to play good at the end of the year and have a chance to get on the team or get the nod to be picked”.