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Jimmy Walker celebrates with his wife Erin after the final round of the Sony Open In Hawaii at Waialae Country Club on January 18, 2015. (Getty)
Jimmy Walker is off to an impressive start in the 2016 PGA Championship. The 37-year-old took an early 18-hole lead at Baltusrol Golf Club on Thursday.
Walker is married to Erin Stiegemeier, who has become known for her blog about life as a PGA Tour family.
Here’s what you need to know about Jimmy and Erin’s family, and their life together:
1. They Have Been Married for 10 Years
Jimmy and Erin celebrated their ten year wedding anniversary in September 2015. They celebrated by hitting the driving range at TopGolf.
The two met in 2004 when Walker was a volunteer at a Nationwide Tour event. They began dating and were married in 2005.
2. They Have 2 Children Together
Jimmy Walker celebrates with his son after winning the final round of the Sony Open In Hawaii at Waialae Country Club on January 18, 2015 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Getty)
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Jimmy Walker celebrates with his son after winning the final round of the Sony Open In Hawaii at Waialae Country Club on January 18, 2015 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Getty)
The pair have two children together: Mclain and Beckett. Erin has often discussed her level of commitment to her husband’s career.
“I’m probably a little bit more involved than some wives,” she told PGATour.com. “Jimmy might be the president, but I’m the CEO.”
She also wears many hats in the Walker family to keep everything running smoothly.
“I’m the travel agent, and sometimes the coach and sometimes the cook, and the mom, and the wife. And it’s busy, but it’s great.”
In April 2015, Erin wrote about her family taking part in the Masters’ Par 3 contest for Golf Digest:
It was fun last year, but this year will be even better with our two sons, Mclain (4) and Beckett (2), being a year older. This time they’ll be out in full force. We’ve got the outfits, we’ve got the matching shoes, we’re ready. Mclain keeps asking, “Am I going to be daddy’s caddie today?” I keep telling him “One more day!” They’re pumped.
3. Erin Is an Accomplished Equestrian Show Jumper
Jimmy Walker isn’t the only competitive athlete in the family. Erin competes nationally in equestrian show jumping.
Erin told PGATour.com, she has learned to keep her competitive nature in check as the wife of a professional golfer.
“I’ve had to really learn to be supportive, and also kind of tone down my competitiveness, because I hate not having any control over what’s going on,” she said in the interview.
“I still have my horses, which keep me sane,” Erin told PGATour.com. “They focus my competitive energy, and it’s been great.”
Erin said the family will join Jimmy on Tour for a couple weeks, and then she will ride for a week or two.
“During the off weeks, I’m trying to go to horse shows, and balance where the kids go if they come with me, or if they stay with Jimmy as he gets work done.”
4. Erin Has Said Tour Pros Aren’t Overpaid, but Golf Writers Are
In 2013, Erin published an article on Golf.com defending the sport, and refuting an article that described professional golfers as lazy due to the “astronomical” rise in purses.
“Maybe there are a handful who are satisfied with just making cuts, making their check and heading home,” Erin Walker wrote, “We certainly don’t know any of them. Every guy we know is working as hard as he can to be as good as he can be… It’s a great life but not always an easy one.”
In the article, she also took a jab at golf writers:
The 200 or so men on the PGA Tour are the best in the world at their chosen profession. They represent about .0001 percent of the population. Yes, they are paid well for their talents, but if you ask me — as opposed to the Golf.com staffers — they certainly deserve it.
She has defended her husband’s strong work ethic on multiple occasions.
During an interview with PGATour.com in 2014, she said:
I’m so proud of him because he’s worked really hard and we’ve had some bumps in the road. Just dealing with what life throws at you, but still having the perseverance to work a little harder and try some new things. It’s not about the money, it’s not about the fame–it’s nothing like that. It’s about being recognized, I think, by your peers that, you know, he’s the real deal.
Erin also described the challenges of life on Tour.
“You don’t realize how much it takes a golfer, professional athlete, to keep them focused on their sport.”
5. Erin Has Contributed to Golf Magazines
Erin has written for a number of golf periodicals, including Golf Digest and Golf.com.
She also shared her perspective of life on the road as a PGA Tour family for Golf Digest.
Erin aims to provide a humorous insider’s take on the PGA Tour through her Twitter account, and blog named Tour Wife Travels. She provides a unique view of life on the road as a professional golfer’s wife, while recommending restaurants, shops and fun things to do in the cities they visit.
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