15 April 2023 , 12:27
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Former major champion Jimmy Walker finds himself leading a star-studded field at this week's RBC Heritage, but it seems the PGA Tour veteran has those over at LIV Golf to thank.
Walker has competed on the PGA Tour for 17 years, but the 44-year-old is no doubt closer to the end of his career than the beginning. This ending nearly came midway through the 2022 season, after missing five cuts inside the opening four months of the campaign.
The American had more than made a name for himself on the Tour, winning six times between 2014 and 2016 including the 2016 PGA Championship in New Jersey.
Walker's health however was dealt a huge blow, after being diagnosed with Lyme disease just months after his major victory. Remarkably the 44-year-old battled back to fitness to return to the Tour, but came back a shade of the player he once was.
At the end of a tough 2022, Walker finished 201st in the seasonal earnings having earned just over $201,000 in winnings. This just edged him inside the top 60 of the PGA Tour Tour's all-time money list in 59th.
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Jimmy Walker secured the PGA Championship back in 2016 (Getty Images North America)The saga of LIV Golf however ensured he was given another boost, as the omission of a number of players who had made the Saudi switch saw Walker move his way into 50th in the all-time standings. This proved to be pivotal for the American, as it saw him earn a one-year exemption to compete on Tour, having been staring retirement in the face.
Just months on, Walker now finds himself a-top of the RBC Heritage leaderboard, leading Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Justin Rose by three shots at the half-way point. The career reprieve has allowed Walker to see golf in a new light, with the former PGA champion admitting he was now heading out onto the course to 'have fun' rather than looking to grind results.
Jimmy Walker leads the way at the RBC Heritage (Getty Images)Per Golf Digest, he said: "I shifted gears. I was going out there to let loose and have fun as opposed to just a grind. Going into the first tournament, should I go practice? Should I just go out and start winging it?
"We winged it, and I played pretty damn good that first week. I think I led the field in birdies." Now sitting at the top of a star-studded leaderboard on a weekend, Walker's concentration levels maybe slightly higher with a $20 million purse at stake.