JIMMY WALKER WON THE VALERO TEXAS OPEN on Sunday at tough TPC San Antonio. Walker, who makes his home in San Antonio, held off fellow Texan Jordan Spieth, whose runner-up finish vaulted him to No. 4 in the world rankings. Walker finished with a 70 and an 11-under total.
“You can feel the support. You can feel the love from friends and family and fans,” Walker told Golf Channel’s Steve Sands. “It’s cool. It just doesn’t happen very often winning in your hometown.”
Spieth, who finished four shots back, tried to be the reason it didn’t happen for Walker on Sunday.
“The golf course wasn’t giving up much; sometimes it’s hard to make pars,” Walker said.
“I felt like I was leaking a little oil there and I wasn’t putting very good. And then I finally smoothed out the putting stroke a little bit and got it back to where it was the first couple of days and started making some.”
Then he added, “But Jordan [Spieth], holy cow. I’m having nightmares about that guy.”
Walker, 36, has five PGA Tour victories in the last year and a half, and finds himself inside the world top 10 for the first time in his career. He is playing in Houston this week but also is looking ahead to Augusta with great anticipation.
“All of this just keeps adding momentum and confidence,” Walker said. “I’m excited to go [to the Masters]. I’ve been looking forward to it, and I’m going to head over [to Augusta National] tomorrow and take a look at it again.”
Before his most recent victory Walker was listed as 33/1 for a Green Jacket, just ahead of Tiger (will he play?) Woods.