Greensboro, North Carolina … PGA Champion Jimmy Walker returns to competition this week after a whirlwind fortnight in capturing the year’s final Major at Baltusrol.

The Texan has been enjoying the fruits of becoming a Major Champion and savouring so messages of congratulations.

One of the more standout messages was from Jack Nicklaus, a winner of 18 Majors and with four of those being PGA Championship titles in 1963, 1972, 1975 and 1980 while Nicklaus is a two-time winner at Baltusrol having captured the 1967 and 1980 U.S. Open titles on the New Jersey course.

And on the eve of this week’s Wyndham Championship Walker spoke of his joy in receiving a handwritten note from the ‘Golden Bear’.

“I’ve heard from a lot of guys. I really have,” said Walker.

Jimmy Walker speaks of his delight in receiving a hand-written note from fellow PGA Champion, Jack Nicklaus.

“I’m talking about just about everybody but one of the coolest things I got was a handwritten note from Jack Nicklaus that was very nice, go out of way to do something like that and he actually did a video message, too, for me for a party at my club where I play at because he did the golf course there and that was very special, too.

“Just to be a part of the history of Baltusrol, lot of great players have won there, Jack did it twice. I’ve heard from a lot of guys and it felt heart felt which was nice.”

Walker also spoke of his joy in now being in possession of the Rodman Wanamaker Trophy and how the trophy took centre stage during a meal with his coach, Butch Harmon.

“When Butch and I had dinner together it was kind of a centre piece on the table,” he said.

“I’ve done that a few times. Just to be able to do that with your friends and have it there and for everybody to experience it, enjoy it, it’s pretty special.

“I think with golf, there’s a lot of people that you have in your life that have kind of been on the journey with you and feel like they’re a part of it and good friends and family and everybody I think feels like they’ve got a bit of a vested interest in what you’re doing because golf is pretty personal and so just to be able to experience that and have that there and on the table or just kind of gets strapped into a car seat here and there or strapped into a plane somewhere or back seat of a car (laughter).

“It’s been cool. If I was smart I would take it everywhere with me. People just throw stuff at you when you walk in somewhere with that thing. It’s too heavy, too big to lug around. It’s parked at home now.”