Thursday 4 August 2016 09:25, UK
Ewen Murray reflects on the PGA Championship at Baltusrol and a year four players will remember with a great deal of fondness.
The sport's four majors are now behind us and for only the fifth time in history, the four champions are first time winners of golf's elite events.
The PGA Championship was a fitting end to a major season that has been packed with highs and lows, controversial decisions and magnificent golf presenting us with drama of the highest order.
The poor weather which caused extensive delays in New Jersey couldn't dampen the atmosphere at famed Baltusrol and the PGA's decision to go for broke to try and ensure a Sunday finish was rewarded with a dramatic conclusion in the gathering gloom in Springfield.
World No 1, Australia's Jason Day, produced one of the shots of the year to eagle the eighteenth and set up a finish this fine championship deserved. It was a marvellous case for the defence, but even that stroke of genius with his two iron wasn't enough to snatch the title from the impressive Jimmy Walker.
At Augusta, Danny Willett set the scene for the year with a thrilling victory capitalising on one poor shot from the defending champion, Jordan Spieth.
The US Open will hopefully not be remembered for the confusion the USGA officials caused when eventual champion Dustin Johnson joined the major club.
I will remember the two closing shots to one of the world's truly great par fours. The tee shot and iron that dispatched the ball by the hole side at Oakmont's eighteenth green were the stuff of dreams.
Our Open, Sky Sports' first Championship, will stay with us for some time to come.
As the sun finally arrived in Ayrshire for the last nine holes of the 145th edition of the Open, Phil Mickelson and the new holder of the Claret Jug, Henrik Stenson, produced an encyclopaedia of shots and putts to thrill golfers worldwide.
The quality on display at the enchanting old links was mesmerising and many would be inspired to take up golf as a result of witnessing such excellence.
In years gone by, the conclusion of the PGA would signal the autumn of the golfing year, but in these modern days, there is no off season and when one event finishes, the next appears in moments.
America have their top eight players for September's Ryder Cup clash in Minnesota. Walker's victory, worth double points, catapulted him into the exemption category and the impressive Brooks Koepka joined him with a sterling performance in New Jersey.
Davis Love has four picks and his choice will not be easy. Rickie Fowler has been quiet of late, Matt Kuchar the same. Also out of the automatic selections go Bubba Watson and Patrick Reed.
They make up the top twelve and that perhaps is Love's strongest side. The outsiders have a short spell to impress Davis with the up and coming events that stretch into the Fed-Ex play-offs.
Next on the agenda is the Travellers in Connecticut and all four days are live on Sky Sports this week.
This event will include one of England's most improved players, Tyrrell Hatton. Second at Castle Stuart in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, Tyrrell has followed that with a fifth place at Troon and his top 10 last week enables him to tee it up in his first regular PGA Tour event.
His maturity has been swift as well as impressive and if I was Darren Clarke, I would have no hesitation in seriously considering him for selection at Hazeltine. If he doesn't make the automatic top nine, the only thing that may count against him is the fact that Darren will have several rookies in his side courtesy of the European and world points list.
A win by the eastern seaboard this week may well take care of everything.
With the Paul Lawrie match play getting underway at the elegant Archerfield this week, time is beginning to run out for those players on the fringes of selection. The last two counting events are in the Czech Republic and Denmark.
Right now, golf is in a great place. The last five major winners are first timers. At the start of the year, many were predicting Jordan, Rory and Jason would walk away with more majors.
There are now so many players capable of winning. Gone are the days of the total domination of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson is 46 years old and between them they amassed 19 majors in a space of 16 years.
The new wave are bold and confident and have no fear of failure. The success of the last five major champions will inspire and encourage them to believe it could be their turn soon.
That's wonderful for golf and for us who enjoy following the sport.
Every major produces wonderful storylines and the PGA was no different.
In 2000, at the US amateur championship at Baltusrol, two players were heralded to have a bright future in the game.
One was Jimmy Walker, the other was a man called Andy Sanders. Andy turned professional and while competing on various subsidiary tours, he awakened one morning with a pain in his right eye. The diagnosis was Multiple Sclerosis which put and end to his playing days.
Determined to have golf in his life, he turned to caddying and took over Jimmy's bag in 2008. To see them celebrate, arm in arm on the 18th was heart-warming. A story of supreme courage.
There were more tears shed at 19:20 Eastern time on Sunday.
Butch Harmon has been coach to the new major champion for several years. As I put the closing lines over a dramatic day I glanced over to my partner.
Now, Butch is a tough man, he has been in the US Army during difficult times in the sixties, but he let a tear trickle down his face as the Walker family celebrated their success.
He is more than a coach. He embraces not just the golfing side, but the life of his pupils, they become his "golfing children" and everyone who has shared his golfing knowledge has become a better player. I felt my own eyes sting a little. His were tears of joy for his charge, mine were of happiness for him.
For the part time astronomer from Bourne in Texas, his victory at Baltusrol was perhaps written in the stars. Fine gentleman, superb golfer and now major winner. A giant step for Jimmy Walker.
