IT’S been a long time coming for former Sunraysia golfer Tim Walker, but a full-time tour card finally has his name on it.
The 30-year-old Red Cliffs Golf Club product’s 15th-place finish in the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s Qualifying School has earned him a spot on the major Australian professional tour for 2024-25.
While his finish outside the top 10 meant falling short of securing a start for the Australian Open and Australian PGA, he is targeting qualification for both alongside using the tour as a potential launch pad for an career overseas.
Walker spent four years in the United States playing for Central Alabama Community College and Mississippi State University, becoming a star and winning the Jack Nicklaus Award for best American junior college golfer a decade ago.
Last year he also completed a commanding wire-to-wire win at the $50,000 Victorian PGA Associate Championship at Tocumwal.
Now based at the prestigious Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club in Frankston, Walker said the achievement was a relief.
“You always have aspirations, and as a kid your dreams maybe outweigh your capabilities, but it’s a great feeling to get this card – probably a bigger relief than anything,” he said.
“The tour is a great stepping stone to try to get yourself into the overseas tours, which is what I’m chasing.
“It’s the first time I’ve got a full card and it’s been a long time coming, but it’s nice to have it locked in.
“It wasn’t quite the result I was chasing as the top 10 gives you an automatic start for the Australian Open and Aus PGA.”
Following his time in the US studying and playing he returned to Australian shores and played as an amateur while aiming for a tour card – something that remained out of reach.
When COVID lockdowns hit in 2020, it left him pondering where his future lay.
“When COVID hit I was 25 or 26 and was almost considering whether or not to go in a different direction,” he said.
“After a few months of sitting around and thinking I decided to do my PGA traineeship over three years, which gave me a platform for my golf and something else to do at the same time.
“It’s been awesome and now to be at Peninsula Kingswood… in my opinion it’s the best golf club in Australia
“It has two courses ranked in the country’s top 15 and is a brilliant facility.
“I’m very fortunate that’s where I get to call my home base.”
Walker’s tour looks likely to start with the Western Australian PGA in October.
