Your Kneejerk Reactions: Jimmy Walker Wins The PGA
Our second major in a row ends in triumphant, positive fashion with Baltusrol's closing par-5s helping to wash away the stains or a forgettable week for the PGA of America. 
I'd like to hear your immediate reactions to the 2016 PGA Championship at Baltusrol won by the likeable 37-year-old astroimager Jimmy Walker, the maiden winner streak, the struggles of the Big Whatever, and the ways you would help the PGA of America find a stronger identity for this championship that too often felt like a regular tour event, only not as well run or telecast.
The win caps off a sensational major season if you look past Jordan Spieth's 12th hole at Augusta and the USGA shenanigans at Oakmont, because Willett, Johnson, Stenson and Walker all played clutch, and at times, historic golf down the stretch to win.
Sunday, July 31, 2016 at 04:28 PM
Reader Comments (101)
Imagine Spyglass Hill with firm/fast greens and without lift, clean, and place.
Don't want to go into all the shortcomings of the PGA and this tournament but if the Masters is the gold standard why don't the powers to be at the PGA reverse engineer what ANGC does and at least simulate it as much as possible but be unique in your own way.
I was in attendance and have been to countless Tour events and majors (except British) and this felt like a regular tour event and run like one.
Would love to have an audience with the powers to be at the PGA and discuss how they could make the PGA C more like a a major. Fixes are not hard.
None of the players complained about the tee times between yesterday and today. If they're not complaining why is everyone on here so quick to judge.
Seems to be a quite reasonable explanation. Great win for one of the really nice guys on tour.
PGA should select 10 great courses (3 in West, 3 in Central, 4 in East) and stick with a consistent rotation of those 10 courses to foster familiarity. None of the courses selected should be allowed to host other PGA Tour, or USGA tourneys if included in the PGA rotation.
Not much of a fan of the back-to-back par5 finishing holes. It sounds good, looks good on paper, and might produce the desired drama in a tightly contested match... but not when a player from the final group comes into those final two holes with a 3-shot cushion. As exciting as Day's eagle was at the last, it wasn't enough to cause Walker to choke.
Taking nothing away from his win today, but there was probably a slight advantage with not having to sleep on the lead the night before the final round. But on that same token - 36 holes of golf under that type of pressure takes a lot of focus and positive energy. I thought he handled everything required of him very well.
And it's always good to see genuine sportsmanship on display afterward. As much as Day, Spieth and Fowler desperately wanted to win this week, they didn't miss an opportunity to show some appreciation for someone else's life-changing moment.
Way to go, Jimmy!
Matsuyama could have won it easily if he made the putts.
I will say this for CBS - their pro tracer - when they use it (not enough) is way more accurate than Fox.
Great win Jimmy Walker.
Dumb story, no organization should be locked into only a small amount of courses
Indeed there was nowhere around that green complex where Walker easily couldn't have played to the green from. Man, you should have seen the 20-handicappers on Twitter reacting to the play. Comparisons to Jean Van de Velde were everywhere, Silliness was rampant.
I'm sure the networks would just love the ratings when they get a Sam Sausage-Joe Blow final, lol.
The fact that Walker and his caddy met at the 2000 US Am at Baltutrol is a nice touch.
CBS would be out of golf if it did not have The Masters contract.
Noticed no mention of Ryder Cup by the CBS team as it is broadcasted by NBC, also no FedEx cup mentions either which was a nice change.
Agree 100% on the questions about the PGA needing more Western venues for TV, weather and interest. I'll throw Colorado Golf Club, LaCosta, Pumpkin Ridge and Eugene as possibilities.
If you don't think this is the 4th Major check out social media metrics.
I believe the idea was to move it to a different time in the year when conditions and daylight would be better. The Victoria Open is usually held in February. I think in the Olympic years the USPGA will be held in February or March from now on.
Looking forward this event needs a West Coast location almost every year due to the date. As best I can tell they don't do it because the PGA VP's don't want to travel.
“One of the best guys I know, on and off the course,” fellow Texan Ricky Fowler
When did Rickie Fowler become Texan? LOL. They could of at least spelled his name right. What a stupid cliched headline.
You are basing this on what exactly?
If any major should be moving around the world it would be the Open Championship since many are fond of referring to it as some kind of 'world open'. After all America is right in the title of the PGA whereas the Open Championship is non site specific.
Right?
The fact is that there are only three majors rights now.
The PGA of America has repeatedly said they are considering moving the tournament during Olympic years. They have said they wanted to have a test run and see how the compressed schedule worked out this year. The 2020 tournament is in San Francisco, perfect for a March or February date. Seeing that the compressed schedule has taken some buzz out of the event I conclude that it will be held in 2020 in February or March.
As for the Open being the world championship of golf. At this moment in history I don't believe that is the case. Although when it was started that was certainly the purpose of the tournament, to identify the best golfer among the participating clubs after the death of Allan Robertson. Prior to this there was a periodic de facto championship settled by challenge matches. With the expansion of the game across the globe I don't believe it is the world championship of the sport. Thus my advocating for the creation of one by changing the USPGA to a WPGA.
The Amateur championship has been held in the Republic of Ireland so there is precedent. I believe that more important than the Open being held in the UK is that it be held on a true links course. There are courses in Ireland and the Netherlands that fit this definition.
LOL. Tell that to the players.
I don't know the answers about the IOC scheduling of golf. Those are good questions and I would like to know the answers. I do believe that the PGA of America picked Harding Park in part to have flexibility as to when to hold the tournament in the year. If it was in the north east we would know that it couldn't be held in the early part of the year.
“Will a PGA Championship ever happen internationally? Who knows,” he said.
“Is it something that will happen in the immediate future? I would say no. It has certainly been placed on the back burner for the time being.”