Jimmy Walker knew his time was coming.
The 37-year-old Walker carded a bogey-free 3-under-par 67 in the final round to win the 98th PGA Championship by one stroke over defending champion Jason Day of Australia at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J.
Day, the top-ranked player in the World Golf Rankings, sank a 14-foot birdie putt on the final hole to also shoot 67 after making bogeys on two of the first three holes, so Walker needed to hole a three-foot putt for par to nail down the victory
“There’s the read, there’s the line,” Walker told himself before the final putt. “You’re a great putter. Just knock it right in the middle of the hole. That’s exactly what happened.
“For me, it was a matter of time for me. That’s what I felt about myself, and winning something like this. It sure makes me look forward to more.”
Walker claimed his first major title and the sixth victory of his PGA Tour career, all after turning 35.
Tied for the lead after starting with nine straight pars, Walker took the lead for good by holing a 23-foot bunker shot on the 10th hole and added a 30-foot birdie putt one hole later.
Daniel Summerhays shot 66 to finish four strokes back in third, while Branden Grace of South Africa totaled 67 to tie for fourth with Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, who finished at 68, and Brooks Koepka, who came in at 70.
Henrik Stenson of Sweden, who won the Open Championship two weeks ago at Royal Troon in Scotland, posted a 71 to tie for seventh, six shots behind, with 2010 PGA champion Martin Kaymer of Germany, who had a 66, and Robert Streb, who wound up at 69.
Third-ranked Jordan Spieth closed with a 68 and tied for 13th, while Phil Mickelson, who won the 2005 PGA at Baltusrol, also shot to tie for 33rd.
