Jimmy Walker went seven years and 187 tournaments before he finally won on the PGA Tour. Now he seems to have it figured out.
Walker pulled away from the pack with three straight birdies on the back nine of Waialae on Sunday and closed with a seven-under 63 to win the Sony Open for his second tour victory in his last six starts.
“It took me a long time to do it,” Walker said. “I felt very calm and controlled. That’s what you’ve got to feel and do when it’s time to win. It’s easy to say, hard to do. But today was awesome. Really cool golf.”
This wasn’t easy. The final round was so tight there was a five-way tie for the lead with two hours remaining.
Walker’s big run began with a 12-foot par on the 14th hole. One shot behind Harris English, Walker rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt on the 15th hole, and took the outright lead when English – behind him in the final group – failed to save par from a bunker.
Walker made a seven-foot birdie putt on the 16th, and stuck his tee shot into six feet for birdie on the par-three 17th. A par on the last hole made him wait just a little bit longer.
