Jimmy Walker has bounced up and down between the Web.com (Nationwide Tour) and the PGA Tours since he turned professional in 2001. In 2004 he was the leading money winner on the Nationwide Tour and earned his 2005 PGA Tour card.
He battled injuries in 2005 and 2006. Only making nine cuts in 21 starts in 2006, he was forced to head back to the Web.com Tour in 2007. He again earned his PGA Tour card for 2008, but had to go to Q-School to earn a spot on tour in 2009.
Walker finished 2009 as the last man standing at No. 125 and retained his playing privileges for 2010.
Things finally began to turn around for him with a third-place finish at the 2010 Valero Texas Open. He collected his biggest paycheck thus far of $317,200. He added another $226,200 with a tie for fourth at the Greenbrier Classic.
He finished the 2010 season with $938,000 and No 72 in the FedEx Cup standings. He had four top-10 finishes in 2011, earned over $1 million and finished No. 68 in the FedEx Cup.
Walker continued his steady improvement in 2012 with six top-10 finishes, earned $1.6 million and was No. 43 in the FedEx Cup.
He was runner-up at the 2013 Greenbrier, tied for third at Pebble Beach and was T-4 at Torrey Pines. Five top-10 finishes gave him over $2 million in total earnings and he ended the year at No. 26 in the FedEx Cup.
Are you beginning to see the trend here?
Walker finally broke through for his first ever PGA Tour victory in the first event of the 2014 season, the Frys.com Open.
He is a prime example of the patience and continuous improvement that is required to win on the PGA Tour.
Walker had made 111 cuts in 187 career starts prior to his win. He began his professional golf career in 2001 and it took 12 years to capture his first trophy.
Not everyone can be a Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson and win as soon as they join the PGA Tour.
For most professionals, it takes years of work to gain the confidence needed to compete and then win on tour.
Walker is a great ball striker and this win could help him have a monster year in 2014.