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5 Things We Learned: Day 4 of the PGA Championship

Published

10 years ago

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I’ve never been more happy to be incorrect. Jimmy Walker is an excellent champion for the PGA of America, and a deserving member of the major championship club. Jason Day made an excellent defense of his 2015 PGA victory and reminded us of the calibre of golfer he became last year. The weather gods decided that enough was enough for this championship and allowed it to run its course. As for the rest, well, 5 things stood out today and here they are.

Four rounds in the 60s aren’t enough

Both Paul Casey and Hideki Matsuyama avoided scores in the 70s this week at Baltusrol, yet neither figured in the outcome. Casey tied for 10th at 7-under par, while Matsuyama tied for 4th at 9-under. Consistent play is no longer the key to a major championship; going low in at least one round is a necessity these days. Jason Day and Jimmy Walker also had four rounds in the 60s, but each one found a 65 along the way.

A lot of noise was heard this week…

…from golfers heretofore unproven in major championships. In addition to Matsuyama’s excellent play, we had Daniel Summerhays do him one better. The Ute via Brigham Young University qualified into the 2017 Masters with his stellar Sunday 67-66, good for solo third place. Brooks Koepka equaled his 2014 U.S. Open 4th-place tie, suggesting that he should challenge for one of these majors before too long.

Greenkeepers work miracles

We’ve seen this before, and it never gets old. There should have been no human way that this tournament saw a completion on Sunday. A river ran through the Merion East course, not far away, and yet 86 golfers were somehow able to complete not 18, but 36 holes over the lower course at Baltusrol in one day. The next time you have an idea on how your home course/club should be kept up, defer to the professionals. They know their job.

Jason Day is never done

Three strokes back with one to play, iron-iron to 18th green, 18-foot putt for eagle and boom! There went Jimmy Walker’s stroll up the final fairway. Like Phil Mickelson a few weeks back at Royal Troon, Day knows he didn’t win, but he has to feel that he did way more than lose. Makes you wonder what he might have done in Rio (cough, Zika, cough).

Jimmy Walker captures the stars

Much has been made of his hobby of interstellar photography. On Sunday, Walker grabbed a major golf star and gave us a full portrait of the golfer that he has become. He was given an opportunity to capture a major championship and he completed the task. After nine consecutive pars, Walker made three birdies on the first eight inward holes to open a three-stroke lead. Even when Jason Day tossed an #EyeHaka at him, Walker refused to yield. No bogeys over his final 27 holes on Sunday, a total of five on the week; that’s how a major champion do.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

26 Comments

26 Comments

  1. Friends

    Aug 1, 2016 at 3:51 pm

    But you have to wonder………….. what would have happened if the groupings had been arranged the traditional way. If JW and JDay had played together, whoooooot then?

    Reply Report comment

  2. dapadre

    Aug 1, 2016 at 4:38 am

    How does that crow taste Ronald? Need some sauce with that, gets pretty dry after the 3rd bite. I hear Humble pie aides with the digestion. 🙂

    Reply Report comment

    • Ronald Montesano

      Aug 1, 2016 at 2:50 pm

      You know, the word “probably” leaves things open to interpretation. Props to JW for his work down the stretch, especially with that curve ball that Day threw at him on the last hole.

      Reply Report comment

  3. Cazzo

    Aug 1, 2016 at 1:05 am

    Way to go Jimmy. Finally gets one. A great one to get, too. Nice going

    Reply Report comment

  4. Matto

    Aug 1, 2016 at 12:49 am

    Iron iron putt. Not a bad way to play a par 5…….I guess.

    Reply Report comment

  5. Howard

    Jul 31, 2016 at 10:56 pm

    “Jimmy Walker Probably Won’t Win. . . “

    Reply Report comment

  6. BH

    Jul 31, 2016 at 9:57 pm

    A couple things: Baltusrol is misspelled in number 5, and Day hit iron-iron on the 18th, not driver-iron.

    Reply Report comment

  7. kyle

    Jul 31, 2016 at 9:18 pm

    “The Ute via Brigham Young University”

    You obviously haven’t lived in Utah… bad way to word the sentence.

    Reply Report comment

  8. Redx

    Jul 31, 2016 at 9:09 pm

    JDay far from his best today but at least he managed to summon up something to add some spark as a OWGR#1 should. Well closed out by Walker for a worthy win but there is plenty of evidence to support Marcus Fraser’s observations earlier in the week – BR in this era is a pretty one dimensional layout. Same, same, similar…..Reasonably well presented (particularly given the weather as you highlight Ronald) and a strong history but hardly an exciting venue.

    Certainly more history, than a future, of hosting majors I expect.

    Reply Report comment

    • Randy Torres

      Jul 31, 2016 at 9:55 pm

      This just proves that Day is the best golfer in the world right now. Even on an off day he manages to compete.

      Reply Report comment

      • Ronald Montesano

        Aug 1, 2016 at 6:24 am

        Not sure of that. He’s in the top three, but he had off days/daze in the first three majors and didn’t compete. He wasn’t nearly as “off” as people will suggest. Off means missed cut or t47.

        Reply Report comment

        • Scott

          Aug 1, 2016 at 12:38 pm

          Here we go again. Come on Ron. So is it DJ (and not Jason Day) that is the best golfer in the world? He may be on the best streak for June and July, but I guess that I did not see where he finished on the leader board on Sunday. Oh yeah, packing for the Travelers – on Friday (probably packing on Thursday, actually).

          Reply Report comment

        • Scott

          Aug 1, 2016 at 12:40 pm

          Are you saying that Jason is not the best golfer in the world or that he was not off? So is it DJ (and not Jason Day) that is the best golfer in the world? He may be on the best streak for June and July, but I guess that I did not see where he finished on the leader board on Sunday. Oh yeah, packing for the Travelers – on Friday (probably packing on Thursday, actually). unless you were getting that he was no really “off”. In that way, I would agree.

          Reply Report comment

        • Ronald Montesano

          Aug 1, 2016 at 2:49 pm

          I’m saying that he was not as off as might have been supposed. On the other note, saying that someone is #1 is arbitrary. We got so used to Tiger being #1 for so long that we want to project a long-term #1 on the latest, greatest thing. Jason and Justin are certainly the top two golfers in the world right now. Henrik could be in the discussion, as could a number of other golfers, for the third spot.

          Reply Report comment

          • Scott

            Aug 2, 2016 at 10:35 am

            Thank Ron. Sorry, I did not understand what you meant. Yes, Tiger set an unbelievable bar for being a number 1 player. It is unfair to project that level of play on anyone else. I would agree that Day probably was not “off”, even though he did not feel as prepared as he would like. I think that Steve Carlton the Phillies HOF pitcher, said that he had his best stuff 1 out of every 4 or 5 starts. I assume that would hold true to most golfers also.

            Reply Report comment

        • Redx

          Aug 1, 2016 at 5:15 pm

          Ronald. Give the man his due. OWGR#1 pure and simple. Has won more events in the last year. Plays a tight schedule and has a strong record in the major events. The official rankings may not be perfect but they do cut through the arbitrary type of assessment you seem to be pushing here.

          Wether he can maintain the position is the subjective question, not wether he is currently #1.

          Reply Report comment

  9. john

    Jul 31, 2016 at 8:48 pm

    didn’t jason hit iron, then iron on 18?

    Reply Report comment

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