MAHOGANY’S PRO PROFILE
Jimmy Walker Oklahoma City native Jimmy Walker has worked more than a decade on the PGA Tour to become an overnight success. After playing on the PGA Tour since 2005 and turning professional in 2001, Walker has become one of golf’s hottest players over the last two seasons. He’s won five PGA Tour events, including the 2015 Texas Open and Sony Open in Hawaii, plus $8 million in prize money. But Walker, who never had a formal lesson or teacher until his sophomore year at Baylor University where he was a two-time all-Big 12 performer, has taken a long path to stardom. His 2013 switch to Butch Harmon as his teacher has paid dividends and increased his ranking as one of the top putters on the PGA Tour. But Walker, who is married to Erin, a nationally ranked competitive showjumper, is determined not to forget his Oklahoma roots. On the eve of the Colonial in Fort Worth, Walker talked about his long path to stardom.
start thinking about becoming a professional golfer until I was 13 or 14. I was too young to remember the Oak Tree gang or anything. I was involved in a lot of the sports in Oklahoma. What else did you do? In Little League, I once struck out 14 batters in a six-inning game, and we won the state championship.
Do you still have family there? Do you return a lot? I have a lot of family in Oklahoma, but we don’t get Growing up in Oklahoma to return that much for the City, did you play in a lot of ju- holidays. What we usually do is use the Byron Nelson tournanior events there? ment in Irving as our reunion No, I really didn’t. I just because it’s easy to get there played with my dad (Jim, a from Oklahoma. flooring contractor) at Surrey Hills in Yukon where we had Have you been able to play a membership. I never had a most of the great courses in coach, I just played with Dad. He was my hero. We just played Oklahoma? I played in the U.S. Open at a bunch. Southern Hills for my pro debut What was it like having your and played at Karsten Creek for an NCAA regional, but I dad as your teacher? never got to play the big course It was great. He was a at Oak Tree. I never was in an scratch player, really good. I event there. I don’t play golf saw him shoot a 60 one time. I on vacation and don’t take golf was 15 years old when I finally trips so I haven’t played that beat him. I played with my many courses back home. dad and his buddies and guys who were a lot older and hit it What’s it like living at Corfarther than me. dillera Ranch outside of San Did you know you wanted to Antonio and winning the Texas Open there this year? be a pro golfer growing up? My family moved to San Antonio when I was 11 and I didn’t See WALKER page 57 52 •••••• www.golfoklahoma.org