PGA Championship: Jimmy Walker joins list of defending champions to miss cut
By Mathieu Wood
Last Updated: 11/08/17 9:39pm
Whatever your form making the cut for any player is their first objective. As the defending champion of a major you would expect to make the weekend’s play but it is easier said than done.
Jimmy Walker claimed his maiden major title 12 months ago at the PGA Championship at Baltusrol but fast forward a year and after a dip in form the American won't be around this weekend to play at Quail Hollow after an eight over score for his opening two rounds.
The 38-year-old is not the first player to miss the weekend cut mark in their defence of the title and joins a list of 10 former champions to have suffered the same experience.
1960 - Bob Rosburg
Rosburg secured his first and only major title after coming back from six strokes back on the final day to secure a one shot victory over compatriots Doug Sanders and Jerry Barber. 1960 was the second year as a stroke play tournament and Rosburg's victory was made all the more impressive after he had only made five birdies over the opening three rounds but five through the front nine holes on Sunday proved pivotal.
In those days the PGA Championship included two cuts, one after the first two rounds and the second coming after the third round, and Rosburg in his defence at Firestone missed the final day's play finishing at 16 over.
1982 - Larry Nelson
Nelson won the first of three major titles, finishing four strokes ahead of runner-up Fuzzy Zoeller, in the same year that Lee Trevino was disqualified for failing to sign his own scorecard after the opening round.
Nelson, in his defence of the title in 1982, finished with a nine-over par score to miss the weekend.
1994 - Paul Azinger
Azinger claimed his only major championship victory by defeating Greg Norman in a sudden-death play-off in 1993. The American stormed into the play-off courtesy of four birdies over the final seven holes and a par at the second extra hole proved decisive and was Norman's fourth play-off defeat which covered all four majors.
The following year Azinger finished Friday's second round at nine-over par, which was a full 17 strokes behind Nick Price at eight-over.
1997 - Mark Brooks
The 1996 PGA Championship was held at Valhalla and saw the fans' favourite and Kentucky native Kenny Perry fall to a sudden-death play-off defeat to fellow American Mark Brooks, who in winning claimed his only major title.
Winged Foot played host to the 1997 edition and saw Brooks miss out on the weekend's play after finishing with a nine-over scoreline following a disastrous second round nine-over 79.
2002 - David Toms
Toms held on to a final round lead to secure his only major title in 2001 and finish one shot clear of playing partner Phil Mickelson which was noteworthy for the fact that no former champions finished in the top 20.
The diminutive American was unable to mount a stern defence of his title the next year at Hazeltine, where Rich Beem prevailed over Tiger Woods, and missed the weekend's action at seven-over.
2003 - Rich Beem
Beem made the defence of his title at Oak Hill Country Club but saw another maiden major winner, Shaun Micheel, prevail at the season-ending major. Beem missed the cut after a damaging opening round 82. Micheel's victory was his sole victory on the PGA Tour.
2010 - Y.E. Yang
Yang became the first Asian-born player to claim a men's major championship with victory in 2009 at Hazeltine in surprise fashion.
The following year at Whistling Straights the South Korean missed the cut with a four-over par scoreline as Martin Kaymer claimed his first major success.
2011 - Martin Kaymer
Kaymer came through a three-hole play-off against Bubba Watson to lift the Wanamaker Trophy in 2010 after both players finished at 11 under.
In 2011 the German fell short of the cut mark after opening rounds of 72-73 saw him finish at fie-over par for the tournament.
2014 - Jason Dufner
Dufner overcame nerves and a fightback from compatriot Jim Furyk, who held the overnight lead, to seal a two-shot victory for his maiden major title.
However, the American was forced to withdraw through injury the next year at Valhalla after carding a front nine of five-over before calling it a day.
