Media Center Interviews
April 22, 2018
Final Round Interview with Jimmy Walker
Q. Jimmy, very nice round overall for you and nice finish today.
JIMMY WALKER: Thank you. Yeah, I played super solid, putted unreal, great finish. Just a little slip-up there on 14 got me yesterday and today, so it's kind of a bummer.
Q. I was going to say it's just one bad break it seemed and it compounded itself for you on 14. Is it tough to look back and think what could have been?
JIMMY WALKER: Oh, always. But from where I've been, it's nice to see a lot of red numbers, nice to see putts going in, nice to be in contention. It felt good and I felt like I could get it done today and that's been a while. It feels good.
Q. It was a great shot into 18, great to see the hometown fans here, the big roars are for Jimmy Walker today.
JIMMY WALKER: That's nice.
Q. Would you say this is your best round of the year certainly maybe since your diagnosis?
JIMMY WALKER: Yeah, I would say so. It's just been a lot of hard work and it's all so close right now. Just a few shots here and there, some loose swings over the course of the week, but all in all the firepower felt like it was back. I was making birdies, which I just haven't really been doing. I was making putts, which I haven't been doing, so it's exciting. I got excited and I was nervous today and that was fun.
Q. Where are you with this -- I know it's an ongoing battle.
JIMMY WALKER: A lot better.
Q. 90 percent?
JIMMY WALKER: I still have a lot of days that aren't amazing, but all in all it's so much better. I feel like I can see the end of the tunnel.
Q. Jimmy, your best finish on the PGA TOUR since being diagnosed with Lyme disease. You look healthy, you told me yesterday that you feel healthy. How was today?
JIMMY WALKER: It's good. It's nice to look healthy, I like that. Just it's nice to see some birdies. It's just stuff that just hasn't been happening. Kind of the things that happened on 14 and 15 is what's been going on, I've been shooting a lot of rounds around even par. But nice to see the red numbers, nice to see putts going in, nice to see the pitches getting closer. I was excited today, a lot of excitement, I was nervous, I was excited for the challenge. I played solid like all day. One bad swing really and it just put me in a really bad spot or it could have been a lot different.
Q. You're used to being in this position, a major winner, you're in your home state, the crowds are going crazy, but when you look at your game, what do you take away from this week and what do you do moving forward?
JIMMY WALKER: Just think it's all positives, it really is. Just to be able to get back in the flow of being in contention, that's so nice. It's fun to have those feelings. I was out there going it's fun playing out here close to the lead and having a chance. It was tough, like Andrew just kept making lots and lots of birdies and felt like we were just always in pursuit. But I got close there and it would have been fun to birdie on 14 and see what would have happened. But it was nice to finish the way I did.
Q. Lastly, you mentioned fun. How much fun was it playing in front of this very spirited crowd?
JIMMY WALKER: It's fun. Winning here before, I know what that's like. It's exciting playing at home. It doesn't feel much like a golf week, especially Monday through Wednesday, kind of you're doing your daily routine, taking your kids to school and stuff like that. But for the most part, when I started Thursday the head was in the game, ready to go and it was all business. But a lot of fun being at home.
Q. How did you do today, how do you feel about it?
JIMMY WALKER: Got close. We had a shot to have a chance to maybe win the golf tournament and just came up a little short, but all in all a really good week.
Q. Was there anything in particular that tripped you up and prevented you from --
JIMMY WALKER: I just hit one bad drive on 14 that put me in a bad spot and that's just -- it was a tough par from there. And making bogey, it was kind of a two-shot swing on a downwind par 5.
Q. How were the crowds today?
JIMMY WALKER: The crowds were great, a lot of people out today. It was great, it was nice to hear all the hometown cheers.
Q. How does it feel to be out here at the Valero?
JIMMY WALKER: It's great. I've played here for a long time now. It's nice to see them do a 10-year commitment. We're going to be here for 10 more years right before the Masters so it's going to be great.
