What to watch for: Friday at the PGA Championship

With one day of the PGA Championship in the books, it’s time to take a look back at what went down, and a look forward at what we can expect on Friday.

Jimmy Walker, dynamite: Walker, a 37-year-old PGA Tour journeyman, holds the first-night lead after putting together a pair of very strong halves. Walker survived the opening “Sobering Seven” holes at one-under, and carded four birdies on the final six holes of the second nine to wrap with a five-under round and sole possession of first place.

Major disappointment: Strong players, weak efforts. Reigning U.S. Open champ Dustin Johnson was absolutely atrocious, carding only one birdie en route to the ol’ double hockey sticks: a seven-under-par 77. Rory McIlroy was only three strokes better, and even though he finished the day early was on the putting green as late as 7:00 p.m. trying to find a solution to his flat-stick woes.

Big names: The leaderboard sports very few big names and a whole host of who’s-that’s. Martin Kaymer, Henrik Stenson, Jason Day, and Louis Oosthuizen are the only major winners among the top 20, and only Kaymer, with two majors, has more than one big trophy.

Rain ahead: Baltusrol’s greens were so baked out by midday Thursday that crews took to watering them mid-round. That won’t be a problem Friday; rain started late Thursday evening and is expected to continue through Friday morning. That will soften up the greens and give a whole host of players a shot at going low as the cut line nears.

Just one more: John Senden’s putt took its own sweet time going back to its home:

The PGA Championship resumes on Friday morning (weather permitting, of course), and the television broadcast begins at 1 p.m. on TNT. Join us, won’t you?

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports and the author of EARNHARDT NATION, on sale now at Amazon or wherever books are sold. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.