Jimmy Walker closed with a 2-under-par 70 and beat Jordan Spieth by four strokes in the Valero Texas Open at windy TPC San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas, stamping himself as one of the favorites with the Masters a little over a week away.
Walker, who lives 30 minutes from the course, birdied two of the last three holes and won for the fifth time on the PGA Tour, all in his last 37 events after his 35th birthday. It was his second victory this year, as he also won the Sony Open in Hawaii, and he has finished in the top 10 on five occasions this season.
“At home, it’s pretty cool,” said Walker, who has led the FedEx Cup standings for 47 of the last 61 weeks. “You can feel the support and love from family, friends and the fans. It’s fun to win at home.
“It was tough, it was playing hard. The golf course wasn’t giving up much. I don’t know what the scoring average was, but sometimes it was hard to make par. I felt like I was struggling a bit, but then I made a couple of birdie putts.
“I like Augusta National and this is giving me confidence and momentum heading there.”
Spieth kept what pressure he could on Walker, carding four straight birdies through No. 17 while finishing with a 70.
Billy Horschel, the reigning FedEx Cup champion, played his best golf of the 2013-14 season by closing with a 71 that left him seven shots back in third with his first top-10 finish since he won the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship in September.
Daniel Summerhays birdied four of the last five holes to shoot 69 and tie for fourth another stroke behind with Chesson Hadley, who sank a four-foot birdie putt on the final hole to finish at 71.
Dustin Johnson, caught in the wrong end of the draw in brutal winds that led to an opening 76 on Thursday, posted his second straight 68 and wound up nine shots back in a tie for sixth with Ryan Palmer, who also shot 68.
Phil Mickelson, in position to record his first top-10 finish of the season, closed with a 76 and slid to a tie for 30th.
