Walker wins in Texas, Warren misses Masters

Jimmy Walker held off Jordan Spieth to win the Valero Texas Open

Jimmy Walker dons the winner's cowboy boots at the Valero Texas Open
Jimmy Walker dons the winner's cowboy boots at the Valero Texas Open
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jimmy Walker defeated fellow Texan Jordan Spieth by four shots to win the Valero Texas Open, while Scotland's Marc Warren narrowly missed out on an invite to The Masters.

Jimmy Walker defeated fellow Texan Jordan Spieth by four shots to win the Valero Texas Open in his hometown of San Antonio. Scotland's Marc Warren narrowly missed out on an invite to The Masters.

Walker began the final day four clear of Spieth and, after both men carded a final round 70, that turned out to be the winning margin. Jimmy Walker has now won five tournaments in the last two seasons on the PGA Tour – nobody has posted more victories in that time. It was Walker’s second title on the 2015 PGA Tour.

As well as a cheque for $1,116,000, Walker was awarded with the, customary, winner’s pair of traditional Texas cowboy boots.

"Everybody says it's hard to win at home," Walker said. "But it's hard to win any week - home, away, out of the country, it's hard. So I feel good."

Another reason to be cheerful for the 36-year-old is the fact the win has moved him into the top-10 on the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career. Jordan Spieth’s second place finish has pushed him up to fourth, also his career-best ranking. But the younger Texan isn’t getting ahead of himself.

“That’s cool,” he said. “But I’m not pinching myself as there are three guys ahead.”

Scotland’s Marc Warren narrowly failed in his bid to break into the top-50 on the Official World Golf Ranking and earn an invitation to The Masters. Warren closed with a fine round of 70 in San Antonio, but his final placing of 35th was not quite enough. He climbed agonisingly close, into 51st place.

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?