SIXTH TIME’S THE CHARM

Jimmy Walker won the PGA Championship today in his sixth career appearance, just like Rory McIlroy and Jason Day did in 2014 and ’15, respectively. Larry Nelson (1981) and Raymond Floyd (1969) also won the PGA Championship in their sixth attempt.

FIRST TIME’S THE CHARM

With Danny Willett, Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson, and now Jimmy Walker, having seized their initial Major Championships this year, note that the last time that the Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship and the PGA Championship were all won by first-time major champions in the same season was in 2011 (Charl Schwartzel/Masters, Rory McIlroy/U.S. Open, Darren Clarke/Open Championship, Keegan Bradley/PGA Championship). 

Six times lucky for Texan Jimmy Walker in capturing the 2016 PGA Championship. (Photo – Anthony Powter/www.golfgrinder.com)

BALTUSROL’S HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE

Including Jimmy Walker’s win today, 17 of the 18 Championships conducted at Baltusrol since 1901 have been won by Americans, with the lone exception coming in 1903, when a Scot by the name of Willie Anderson won the U.S. Open on Baltusrol’s Old Course. 

SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST

Dating to Davis Love III’s 1997 win at Winged Foot, the PGA Champion has emerged from the final round’s last pairing 18 times in 21 years. Jimmy Walker played in group 43 today with Robert Streb. 

SECOND TO ONE

Jason Day’s runner-up finish today was the second of his career in a major championship. He finished alone in second at the 2011 U.S. Open (won by Rory McIlroy). Day has also twice finished in a tie for second place (2011 Masters/Winner: Charl Schwartzel, 2013 U.S. Open/Winner: Justin Rose). 

SOONER OR LATER FOR WALKER

Jimmy Walker and Bob Tway, each born in Oklahoma City, are the only PGA Champions born in the state of Oklahoma. Other Oklahomans to win major championships are Tommy Bolt (1958 U.S. Open) and Orville Moody (1969 U.S. Open).

4 X 60s

Five  players this week completed four rounds in the 60s at Baltusrol: Jimmy Walker (65-66-68-67), Jason Day (68-66-67-67), Hideki Matsuyama (69-67-67-68), Paul Casey (69-69-68-67) and Gregory Bourdy (69-68-69-69). That matches the single-year mark shared by the 1995 and 2014 Championships.