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SPRINGFIELD, N.J. — Danny Summerhays gave himself a chance going into the final round of the PGA Championship on Sunday afternoon after storms forced a marathon two-round finish.
And he made the most of it.
Summerhays carded a 4-under-par 66 Sunday, including 32 on the back nine, to finish third at 10-under 270 in the final official major of the PGA Tour season at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey.
Jimmy Walker won his first career major at 14-under-par 266 to hold off Australia’s Jason Day by one stroke.
With the finish, Summerhays guaranteed himself an exemption to play in the 2017 Masters in Augusta, Georgia, next April.
The Farmington native finished the third round Sunday with a 67 after finishing an abbreviated version of day three with an eagle on No. 2 Saturday before storms forced the postponement of the round.
But he saved his best work for last. He was even-par through nine holes after a birdie on the par-3, 210-yard ninth, then stroked five birdies on the back to surge up the leaderboard by five spots.
Summerhays, a former BYU golfer, birdied Nos. 12, 13, 15, 16 and 18 for a strong finish, one that even put a little pressure on leaders Walker and Day.
Walker jumped out to a lead heading into Sunday’s final round, then fired three holes on the back nine to hold off Day by one stroke at 14-under 199. He became the fifth-straight first-time major winner on the PGA Tour in 2016, the first time since a feat has been accomplished since 1934.
Day was up-and-down for an even-par 34 through nine, but finished his round with an eagle on the par-5 18th hole to pull within one stroke of Walker. But the Oklahoma native’s eagle on No. 17 held up with a two-putt for par on the 18th for his first win on tour in 2016.
Walker last won March 29, 2015 at the Valero Texas Open, though he was a member of the Presidents Cup-winning American squad last October. His previous best finish this season was a fourth-place effort at the Farmers Insurance Open on Jan. 31.
Summerhays was one of five native Utahns playing in a major, the most in Utah golf history. He joined cousin Joe Summerhays, a local teaching pro, as well as Lehi’s Tony Finau, Ogden’s Zac Blair and Tommy Sharp from the Golf Lab in Salt Lake City.
