Will Zalatoris, who was a late scratch for The Masters, announced that he underwent back surgery, which will leave the PGA Tour without one of its rising stars for the remainder of the season.
“After careful consideration and seeking multiple medical opinions, I underwent a successful microdiscetomy on Saturday,” Zalatoris wrote on Instagram. “As much as I hate not being able to play the rest of the season, I am happy that I am already seeing the benefits of the procedure. Playing and living in pain is not fun. I look forward to making a full recovery and seeing everyone in the fall. … I look forward to getting back to 100%.”
Zalatoris, 26, was named 2021 Rookie of the Year and finished top 10 in three of the four majors in 2022. He's currently ranked No. 8 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Last August, Zalatoris earned his first PGA Tour victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He hurt his back one week later in the third round of the BMW Championship and was forced to withdraw from the remainder of the FedEx Cup playoffs, including the Tour Championship. He missed the next four months with two herniated disks before returning at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January.
He began 2023 with nine straight rounds under 70. He finished fourth at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera in February but struggled throughout the Florida Swing in the run-up to The Masters.
Willy Z played multiple practice rounds at Augusta National before deciding that he couldn't give it a go before Round 1. He finished second to Hideki Matsuyama in his debut at The Masters and was T6 in 2022. He has six top-10 finishes and three runner-ups in 10 career major starts.
Follow Us
Subscribe