Visiting American Jimmy Walker has arrived in Aberdeen and this week’s Scottish Open admitting this will be only the third occasion in his career he’s tasted links golf.

Walker has won three times on this year’s PGA Tour to guarantee his place in the USA Ryder Cup team.

And while representing his country will be new to him so too is the challenge of playing links golf.

Walker’s only other links experience was at last year’s Open Championship at Muirfield where he missed the halfway but a shot wh, aile he was staying last year at the Renaissance Club that week and played the course that adjoins Muirfield.

“When you play often in the States everything looks very green, very lush and the golf courses they prepare for us each week are second to none,” he said.

Visiting American Jimmy Walker pointing out his prior experience of links golf. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

“But then when you come over here the courses just look so natural.

“We have a couple of golf courses in the States that look like such as Prairie Dunes in Kansas where the NCAA Championships will be held this year.

“But to come here and see this golf course, and see the ball run as it does, and to experience the different way of thinking about playing golf and getting around the golf course is very different.

“So before coming here I’ve only played the Renaissance Club where I was staying last year for The Open and Muirfield so they are my only experiences of playing links golf.

“Playing Muirfield last year was all about getting comfortable and hitting certain shots.   I remember playing the 15th last year, and it was a very difficult pin, and the green was very fast and it was very windy. I hit a good drive down there and only had about 110-yards to carry this little bunker that was about 30-yards short of the green.

“All the grass running up there was brown so I thought I would land the ball about five yards behind bunker and let it run in there.

“But the place I decided I would land the ball had obviously been watered the night before and the ball didn’t bounce at all (smiling).

“So it was a combination of not putting well and not being able to hit the golf shots I wanted to, and the ball wasn’t coming out the way I was seeing adn really all I needed was more links practice.”

And Walker’s appearance in the Scottish Open, along with that of fellow Americans Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler, will mean he will miss out on the opportunity to play practice rounds at Gleneagles over his coming weekend.

USA Captain Tom Watson revealed last week during the Greenbrier Classic he was hoping upwards of 20 possible and probable team members would make the effort to join him at Gleneagles.

However, and unless Walker missed the Royal Aberdeen halfway cut, he is fully committed to winning the Scottish Open title.

“I had committed to playing here months and months ago, so when Tom called the other day I said I would love to but I have committed myself to this event,” he said.

“But then in talking with him it sounds like we are going to arrive at Gleneagles on the Monday before and the matches will not start to Friday, so there will be plenty of time up there.

“I’ve heard about four or five will be up at Gleneagles,”