Ill be better this time. The 26-year-old has long displayed an aptitude for quickly bouncing back from injury. A post shared by Will Zalatoris (@willzalatoris). Through it all, he managed to keep his nerve and the dry streak Zalatoris had been enduring since 2018 finally came to an end with one final putt. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Will and Caitlin stood on stairs decorated with green leaves and flowers, making an arc above their heads on an olive-colored wall. Country Club, FedEx Cup leader Will Zalatoris withdraws from BMW Championship with injury, How can you argue were underpaid?: Will Zalatoris baffled by LIV cash craze, 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions: How to watch, TV schedule, streaming, tee times, What is Jim Nantzs career lowlight?' William Patrick Zalatoris (born August 16, 1996) is an American professional golfer. But as Nelson week grew closer, those feelings the teenager were experiencing werent butterflies they were pains from an inflamed appendix. He is fully focused on getting healthy and back onto the course as soon as he is able.". Whether you win or lose, its just what you practice for.. Also moving into the top 70 were Adam Scott, Andrew Putnam and Wyndham Clark, who had reason to think he had thrown away his chances when he played a four-hole stretch in 4-over par and had to save par on the 18th for a 72. And that would keep. NT = No tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic. PGA:How to watch|ESPN+ streaming|Leaderboard|Saturday tee times. WD = withdrew He was the highest-ranked player in the world without a TOUR win before beating Sepp Straka in a playoff at TPC Southwind. Maintaining a high spot on the OWGR allows golfers who have never won a major to earn exemptions into future majors. Zalatoris sat atop the FedExCup standings after winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship, but he had to withdraw early in the third round of the following weeks BMW Championship. "That was another good step for Will," said . For the first time in 138 days, Will Zalatoris will play a PGA Tour event this week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. But in the name of avoiding future injury, hes working through the proverbial process. Zalatoris took a while to collect his first PGA Tour win, but his rookie year was one for the ages. We basically kind of went through a whole assessment of seeing where Im at and it was really I think keeping longevity in mind as opposed to anything else. Zalatoris notches first PGA Tour victory in playoff, A battle for No. But that showing not only made him a household name to a number of previously unaware golf fans, it also vaulted Zalatoris to No. 27 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Spieth was three grades ahead of them growing up, but the three found themselves clashing on the junior circuit quite often. He also has three runner-up finishes in major championships. Zalatoris entered August's BMW Championship in the advantageous No. Szokol opens with 64, up 3 shots in Singapore, More PGA Tour changes: No cuts, smaller fields, Rahm sought Tiger's advice on staying No. Zalatoris moves into the top 10 in the world for the first time and takes the No. One wrote: There was a slew of hundreds of comments from Will Zalatoris's family, friends, and fans congratulating him on the start of the new chapter of his life. At the FedEx St. Jude Championships, Zalatoris entered a three-hole playoff vs. Sepp Straka that could have very well swung Strakas way had some balls bounced differently. Weve looked at everything I was doing, to make sure I was doing all the right things and we were checking all the boxes, and it was strictly a motor pattern thing, said Zalatoris, who has opted to temporarily decrease his driver length (to approximately 44.75 inches, down from 46 inches) as he works through the setup change. However, the Sentry Tournament of Champions recently announced that Zalatoris is expected in the field for the event in early January. After getting initial golf instruction from former U.S. Open champion Ken Venturi as a 6 year old in San Francisco, most of Zalatoris learning and development came in Texas after he moved to Texas as a pre-teen. Player Profile: Birthplace. Zalatoris was four shots off the lead at Wilmington (Del.) He came shot consistently all weekend, shooting a 69 in each round Thursday- Saturday. Pro V1x Titleist Golf Ball. But his speed has remained the same as it was from last year when he finished 13th in driving distance on Tour at 314.7 yards a pop. Musician Gryffin congratulated the golfer in the comments section. Copyright 2023 PGA TOUR, Inc. All rights reserved. He actually learned the way he generated power could have led to the back issues in the first place. He entered Sunday in a logjam for second at 7 under, four shots back of Matsuyama. He has displayed a good feel for the golf course (particularly the greens) and opened with rounds of 70-68. He had a 25-foot putt for the win on the 18th on the first playoff hole and had to make a 7-footer the second time around to stay in the game. Spoiler alert: It's yet to be announced, but the course is almost certain to be added as the 2041 Ryder Cup site. I think Ive just been so close so many times, so I think, if anything, after having the time off, its kind of hard to remind myself of all the second places.. Was all but a lock to make roster as a captains pick, begging the question of who will replace him, How Will Zalatoris turned his putter into a strength. Are they right? Wake Forest University College. It came up well short of the green, and as it bounced eight times along the stone facade separating dry land from the water, it . Will Zalatoris withdrew from The 149th Open Championship on Friday, citing a back injury suffered while hitting out of heavy rough late in his opening-round 69. PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, and the Swinging Golfer design are registered trademarks. Will Zalatoris is a rising star on the PGA Tour who has three top-10 finishes in the . But he took up his teammates offer to come out and hang with the team for a . Please logout and login again. Will was voted the 2020-2021 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year by his peers. Will Zalatoris. Straka followed with a shot that also hit the bank, took one bounce off the rocks and went into the water. Sharing the good news, the Texas native posted a slew of glamorous pictures with a caption that said: Earlier this week, he again took to his social media account to share a happy moment from his wedding. The two played golf nearly every day during the pandemic at Bent Tree or Carrolltons Maridoe Golf Club, formerly Columbian Country Club. Suddenly the close-call narrative was put to bed he memorably exclaimed, What are they gonna say now! upon draining a par putt on the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Sepp Straka at TPC Southwind. Zalatoris' first professional victory came in July 2020, when he narrowly won the TPC Colorado Championship by one stroke. Zalatoris just missed earning one of the six automatic spots on the U.S. team for the Presidents Cup. Straka, already a winner this year in the Honda Classic, narrowly missed a 20-foot birdie putt for the victory on the 18th for a 67. Zalatoris, 24, played in Saturday's final round alongside Justin Rose. "The first three local golfers pictured: 16-year-old Jordan Spieth, 13-year-old Will Zalatoris and 13-year-old Scottie Scheffler.They turned out OK. pic.twitter.com/bp5TlirfkB. He ranked top-three in both Total Driving and Greens in Regulation on the 2019 and 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour, as well. Before heading off to play collegiately, he won both the Texas State Amateur and the U.S. He finished the season ranked #1 in SG: Approach and #1 SG: Tee-to-Green. The former Wake Forest star and 2014 U.S. Country Club when Zalatoris was being worked on by a PGA Tour physiotherapist on the 5th tee before ultimately deciding the pain was too much. Amateur Championship titled "Junior talent flourishing on national scale. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. Friday night, The Caddie Networks John Rathouz caught up with the caddie for Zalatoris, Ryan Goble, who was enjoying some veg time after a dinner of Mexican food in Tulsa. [5] He left school after his junior year to turn professional. A huge break for Zalatoris? The Plano alum walked down the aisle with his long-term girlfriend, Caitlin Sellers, who has been his best friend since his college days. Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. Representing TCA-Addison in 2014, Zalatoris won the U.S. Zalatoris called the process the "easiest 15 pounds [he's] ever put on." . 3. Born in San Francisco, California, Will Zalatoris was introduced to the game early on playing with his parents at California Golf Club. Will Zalatoris is set to make his first TOUR start since the BMW Championship last August. Its hard when youre the No. Zalatoris doesn't enter the final round with any cushion because the same club that's troubled him in the early stages of his career can still be a nuisance. So just keep doing what were doing and let the next win get in the way.. Zalatoris, 26, hasnt teed it up since withdrawing during the third round of the BMW Championship in August with what turned out to be two herniated discs in his back. Here are 10 things to know about Zalatoris: Most golf fans introduction to Zalatoris was during the 2021 Masters. This is the first time Zalatoris has qualified for Kapalua. Claims victory in first FedExCup Playoffs event before advancing to BMW Championship, Will Zalatoris new driver before Genesis Scottish Open, For all other business inquiries please contact Allen Hobbs: ahobbs@playersgroupmanagement.com, Our Address: Players Group Management Fan Mail - Will Zalatoris1800 Alexander Bell DriveSuite 200 Reston, VA 20191. Let us take your workout routines to the next level with our 365 day challenge and programs schedule. Kim is the first player since Tiger Woods to win twice on TOUR before turning 21. His tee shot hit the bank and then bounced seven times on the rocks before coming to rest. Zalatoris won't be replaced in the 30-man field at East Lake and will receive a $500,000 bonus. Will Zalatoris found the end of Netflix.. Oops! Will Zalatoris, who had the most money and the best world ranking of anyone without a PGA Tour victory, won the FedEx St. Jude Championship without making birdie in a three-hole playoff on Sunday . Spieths first tee shot flared right, but he scrambled to save par. Wills strong play continued and he finished in 2nd place at the 2021 Masters Tournament, one stroke behind the champion. During the 2021-2022 PGA Tour season, Will continued to rise in the world of golf. Zalatoris has played just 40 holes since his thrilling playoff with Straka in the opening event of this years FedExCup Playoffs. [16], On August 14, 2022, Zalatoris won his first PGA Tour event, winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee on the third playoff hole against Sepp Straka. At seventh in the Presidents Cup points standings, he likely would have been among the six captain's choices for the team. [3] In his junior year, Zalatoris was named All-ACC, First-Team GCAA All-American, First-Team Golf week All-American, Nicklaus Award finalist, Hogan Award semifinalist, played in all 12 events and had a scoring average of 70.14, third-best season average in school history. Zalatoris was born in San Francisco, California, but his family moved to the Dallas, Texas, area . Its the PGA TOURs first designated event of 2023, with 17 of the top 20 players on the Official World Golf Ranking set to compete at the Plantation Course at Kapalua. Amateur, when Zalatoris qualified as a 12 year old and competed as a 13 year old, alongside Scheffler and Spieth. "We're talking inches," he says. The newly married couple posed for the camera, standing side by side with Will Zalatoris' hands resting on his wife's waist. Let him tell you about adult film, 'It's f----- hard': Jon Rahm comes back to Earth at brutal Bay Hill, How to watch the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational on Friday: Round 2 TV schedule, streaming, One of the worst things to happen: Pro rants after PGA Tour change, 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational tee times: Round 2 groupings for Friday, How to watch the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational on Thursday: Round 1 TV schedule, streaming, 5 ways the PGA Tour just got better (and 3 ways it got worse! I did a pretty deep dive with Damon, my trainer, with Dr. [Greg] Rose, Dr. Duffy, he said of his team. Luckily for Zalatoris, Nelson organizers honored the exemption the following year and he made the start as a 19 year old. "Add the nerves of competing for a tournament to that, especially for a playoff event, and yeah, it can get a little crazy.". Prior to moving to Dallas, he worked at the Detroit Free Press. "This course is where every shot you hit you're on the edge of your seat," Straka said. We believe she is now a marketing analyst in Texas. It figures Zalatoris struggled to reflect on his numerous close calls over the past three seasons. Zalatoris wanted to make swing changes to prevent an injury like this one from happening again. Willy Z is FINALLY a winner on the PGA Tour pic.twitter.com/p02shNTaK2. Among his eight top-10s are three runners-up, including at two majorsthe PGA Championship and U.S . Zalatoris who grew up in San Francisco, got his start in golf as a youth at the California Golf Club, went to college at Wake Forest and now makes his home in Texas combines the perfect . Zalatoris zoomed up the leaderboard Friday with a second-round 65 to take the solo lead at 9 under. Will and family moved to Dallas, Texas when he was 9 years old and he began working hard on his game while competing in top junior tournaments. September 14, 2022 4:18 pm ET Will Zalatoris had quite the year. When Zalatoris first broke onto the golf scene, golf fans on social media were quick to point out their favorite Zalatoris doppelgngers. Zalatoris ultimately fell one shot short of Matsuyama and finished in solo second place, good for a payday of $1,242,000. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images. He previously worked for the DMN sports department from 2010-2022, where he served as SportsDay's lead digital strategist and oversaw coverage of college sports, HS sports, Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Stars, soccer and golf. He has competed primarily on the PGA Tour, where he has won once, at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship . 8:12 AM on May 21, 2022 CDT Updated at 11:37 PM on Aug 14, 2022 CDT. Special moment for @WillZalatoris.pic.twitter.com/4ks8CzchhY. After a short visit and numerous stretches, Zalatoris decided to withdraw from the event. This one could have gone either way, a playoff that featured three penalty drops in three holes, neither player making birdie and Zalatoris winning on the par-3 11th with a bogey. While Zalatoris isnt the biggest guy on tour hes listed by the PGA Tour at 6-foot-2, 175 lbs he said hes still largely avoided back injuries throughout his career, save one instance in July 2021. Will and family moved to Dallas, Texas when he was 9 years old and he began working hard on his game while competing in top junior tournaments. And after all of those adjustments, Zalatoris and his teams fears of making changes to a swing that has already racked up six major top-10s in three years were unwarranted. He lost to Justin Thomas in a playoff in the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Zalatoris told Golf Digest I was lucky. 1, a loaded LPGA field and more to watch in golf this week, Here's everything you missed this week in professional golf, Jin Young Ko up by 2 in Singapore title defense, Quigley fires 65 for early lead in PGA Champions, Kitayama handles windy Bay Hill as Rahm falters, Tiger not part of field for next week's Players, Young stretches lead to 4 in Puerto Rico Open, Rahm stays hot, finishes strong for Bay Hill lead, Rookie Young captures Puerto Rico lead with 63. "I am beyond disappointed," he . Theres not much time to shake the rust; Zalatoris is quickly back to the throes of elite competition. Spieth then birdied six of the next eight holes for a 29 on his way to a course-record 63. He also fell short of winning the 2022 U.S. Open, with Matthew Fitzpatrick making Zalatoris a major runner-up for the third time. I mean, weve looked at everything that I was doing to make sure I was doing the right things and we were checking all the boxes and it was just strictly a motor pattern thing, which is kind of a good thing and a bad thing, because when I was hitting the ball the way that I was, its hard to want to change anything, but at the same time, I actually saw some benefits.. At the U.S. Open, he aced the par-3 seventh hole during the first round, very nearly replicating it six holes later,[10] and tied for sixth place, at five-over par, alongside world number one Dustin Johnson; it was his first top-10 finish in a major championship. [14], In May 2022, Zalatoris finished second in a major championship for the second time. Caitlin has changed her last name to Zalatoris on her Instagram account. They are unarguably made for each other. Topics of discussion included how Zalatoris seems to always step it up in majors as well as what its like to play in a group behind Tiger Woods. A bad back is keeping the 26-year-old from competing in the Presidents Cup after qualifying for a spot at Quail Hollow. [13], In January 2022, Zalatoris tied for the lead of the Farmers Insurance Open after 72 holes. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. 70 by three points. Scott is the Breaking News Editor for the Dallas Morning News. 8 in the standings and is assured his first trip to the Tour Championship at East Lake. It ended up being the second PGA Tour event of his career he earned a spot in the field of the 2015 Northern Trust by winning a collegiate showcase. Zalatoris, the ninth-ranked player in the Official World Golf Ranking, also won't compete in next month's Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina, his agent announced on Twitter. Will Zalatoris walks back to the crowd with his arm around his fianc after winning his first PGA tournament during the last day of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022. Will and Caitlin have been dating each other since they met in 2018 at Wake Forest College. ), PGA Tour makes big changes to 2024 designated events, including smaller fields and no cuts, 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational tee times: Round 1 groupings for Thursday. pic.twitter.com/qtEj1JyZdL. Zalatoris and Scheffler are separated by only a couple months in age, so the two played together quite frequently as juniors. Follow Kevin Prise on Twitter. After withdrawing from the 2021 Open Championship due to a muscular issue, he finished T8 in his next start, the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational three weeks later. Will Zalatoris has withdrawn from the 2022 BMW Championship in the third round after suffering a back injury, the PGA Tour announced on Saturday. The Korn Ferry trademark is also a registered trademark, and is used in the Korn Ferry Tour logo with permission. Will Zalatoris has withdrawn from the TOUR Championship with two herniated discs in his back. Let us take your yoga routines to the next level with our 365 day challenge and programs schedule. For the time being, Zalatoris said hes using a 44.75-inch driver shaft, down an inch and a quarter from his former 46-inch gamer. Heading into the PGA Championship, Zalatoris had four top-10 finishes in his first seven career major championship appearances. I realized I dont need to be on the range for hours; I need to play. ET in the final group with Mito Pereira. But during the third round at Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Delaware, Zalatoris suffered a back injury on the third hole. An MRI revealed that Zalatoris, 26, had two herniated disks. He . Will Zalatoris has been struggling with a back injury since August. The couple, who have been dating for a long time, announced their engagement back in April 2021 and have since been very vocal about their relationship. Will picked up his first professional victory in 2020 at the TPC Colorado Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour. A Golf Channel article said Zalatoris was seeking to return at the Hero World Challenge. The former Trinity Christian Academy-Addison star is one of the top American golfers less than two years removed from grinding on the Korn Ferry Tour. 1 spot in the FedEx Cup, assuring him a reasonable shot at the $18 million prize in two weeks. This is the best of the best, Zalatoris said Tuesday ahead of the tournament. Zalatoris is among a notable list of first-time TOUR winners who have committed to the Sentry Tournament of Champions, which will be played Jan. 5-8 at The Plantation Course at Kapalua on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Something went wrong while submitting the form. The fix: adjusting his setup, with the goal of reducing the strain on his back. Which is kind of a good thing and a bad thing, because when I was hitting the ball the way that I was, its hard to want to change anything, but at the same time I actually saw some benefits. In Texas, we couldnt practice, but we could play.