Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Junior Amateur in 2014. Will Zalatoris, the 25 year old who three second place finishes in majors but hadn't won a PGA Tour event yet in his young career, punched his way into the playoff by sinking a must-make, 10-foot. He lost a sudden-death playoff to Luke List when List hit his approach shot to a foot away from the first playoff hole and made birdie. So it was actually kind of a nice fix.. Musician Gryffin congratulated the golfer in the comments section. For the first time in 138 days, Will Zalatoris will play a PGA Tour event this week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Zalatoris won't be replaced in the 30-man field at East Lake and will receive a $500,000 bonus. Zalatoris came close to sending the U.S. Open to a playoff on Sunday, only to finish disappointed once again. He finished second in two majors this year, losing a playoff to Justin Thomas at the PGA Championship and narrowly missing a birdie putt on the 72nd hole of the U.S. Open that would have tied him with Fitzpatrick. ), 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. Your login session has expired. 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. Zalatorisand his playing partner, Emiliano Grillo, let the group of Sam Burns and Adam Hadwin through as they waited for the PGA Tour physio. He is fully focused on getting healthy and back onto the course as soon as he is able.". A bad back is keeping the 26-year-old from competing in the Presidents Cup after qualifying for a spot at Quail Hollow. Will Zalatoris has dealt with his share of anguish in an otherwise impressive PGA Tour season. Team. He was born in San Francisco, and growing up he spent his formative golf years playing at the outstanding California Golf Club with his Dad. Zalatoris qualified for the upcoming Sentry Tournament of Champions by winning his first PGA TOUR title at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Zalatoris entered Augusts BMW Championship in the advantageous No. He also set the individual scoring average of 70.44 at Wake Forest University. After his first TOUR victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in mid-August, the first of three FedExCup Playoffs events, Zalatoris was forced to withdraw during the third round of the following weeks BMW Championship due to injury. Copyright 2023 PGA TOUR, Inc. All rights reserved. Yes, as a 14-year-old kid. 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. So thats why my speed is the same actually with the shorter driver. It was there that Zalatoris, a 24-year-old upstart that was playing in Korn Ferry Tour events just six months earlier, found himself battling it out with Hideki Matsuyama and fellow DFW product Jordan Spieth for a green jacket. 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. He shared the good news via his official Instagram page on December 13. 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. The Plano alum walked down the aisle with his long-term girlfriend, Caitlin Sellers, who has been his best friend since his college days. Zalatoris and Scheffler are separated by only a couple months in age, so the two played together quite frequently as juniors. U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick and Presidents Cup star Tom Kim are among the other first-time TOUR winners who are scheduled to appear at Kapalua. Zalatoris, 26, was injured on the third hole of the third round of the BMW Championship on Saturday at Wilmington Country Club in Delaware. There's a legitimate possibility it could happen again on Sunday as Will Zalatoris hovers near the top of the leaderboard. How much "louder" will LIV Golf get in its second season? Id go to the course, carrying my bag, playing with my buddies, just trying to beat the crap out of each other. [4] He was also a member of the U.S. Walker Cup team in 2017, teammates with future PGA Tour winners Collin Morikawa and Cameron Champ. He also has three runner-up finishes in major championships . This is the first time Zalatoris has qualified for Kapalua. It made us all really sharp. The former Wake Forest star was in third position in the FedEx Cup playoffs points standings and was slated to start 3 strokes behind leader Scottie Scheffler in his first appearance in the Tour Championship, which begins Thursday. Junior finalists to roommates", "Will Zalatoris Named ACC Player of the Year", "Will Zalatoris, a former Wake Forest star, hitting his stride on the Korn Ferry Tour", "Will Zalatoris wrote his caddie a check for the winner's share, then went and won", "U.S. Open: Will Zalatoris makes hole-in-one, almost does it again later in round", "Will Zalatoris surpasses KFT season earnings with U.S. Open T-6", "Golfer Will Zalatoris is PGA Tour rookie of the year", "Will Zalatoris shoots 61 to share lead at Sanderson Farms", "Luke List beats Will Zalatoris in a playoff at Farmers Insurance Open for first PGA Tour win", "Thomas wins 2nd PGA title in playoff after 7-shot rally", "Will Zalatoris comes up short at U.S. Open, his third runner-up finish at a major: 'I'm going to keep knocking on the door', "Will Zalatoris gets 1st PGA Tour win in playoff at Memphis", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Will_Zalatoris&oldid=1126465827, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 2017 General Hackler Championship, Rod Myers Invitational, Most consecutive cuts made 4 (2022 Masters - 2022 Open Championship, current), This page was last edited on 9 December 2022, at 13:40. They are unarguably made for each other. So it was actually kind of a nice fix.. Let us take your yoga routines to the next level with our 365 day challenge and programs schedule. I realized I dont need to be on the range for hours; I need to play. Before heading off to play collegiately, he won both the Texas State Amateur and the U.S. Oops! Nothing was more wild than the final hole. Ill be better this time. This week is a limited-field tournanment with only last years winners and Tour Championship qualifiers. [15], In June 2022, Zalatoris had another second place in a major championship. 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. Zalatoris wanted to make swing changes to prevent an injury like this one from happening again. Will Zalatoris spent his weekend on the greens, but not the one he's used to. Find classes that best matches your needs. He finished tied with Scottie Scheffler at the U.S. Open behind Matt Fitzpatrick at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. Will Zalatoris finished second at the Masters in his first time playing Augusta National. Not only was he among four players who moved into the top 70, he now is at No. Will and Caitlin have been dating each other since they met in 2018 at Wake Forest College. In April 2021, Zalatoris was second in the Masters Tournament with a score of 9-under-par, finishing one stroke behind champion Hideki Matsuyama, the first male Japanese player to win a major. That included events like the 2009 U.S. Its just because of the efficiency now of how I push into a golf ball.. The winner of the FedEx Cup championship receives $18 million. "It's hard to say, 'About time,' when it's your second year on tour, but it's about time," Zalatoris said. So Im trying to get more centered over it and work more around my right side, so more of a turn as opposed to kind of a lateral shift, because like I said, when my right hip gets high and the spine tilts back, youre now all of a sudden creating all that stress on your back. Sandler tweeted Have fun today young man. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. September 14, 2022 4:18 pm ET Will Zalatoris had quite the year. Tyler Lauletta. He was the highest-ranked player in the world without a TOUR win before beating Sepp Straka in a playoff at TPC Southwind. British Open champion Cameron Smith could have replaced Scheffler by winning and arrived at the TPC Southwind two shots out of the lead. He is on a lifelong quest to break 80 on a course that exceeds 6,000 yards and to see the Buffalo Bills win a Super Bowl. Caitlin has changed her last name to Zalatoris on her Instagram account. That top finish, along with a number of others, secured him Special Temporary Member status on the PGA Tour which allowed him to accept unlimited sponsor exemptions for the 2020-2021 season. The event was the first of three events in the 2022 FedEx Cup Playoffs, With his win, Zalatoris moved to first in the FedEx Cup standings ahead of Scottie Scheffler.[17]. Fifty-four holes, no cut, that's an easy life" -- Padraig Harrington. 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. [5] He left school after his junior year to turn professional. Shortly after his second-place finish at Augusta, Zalatoris proposed to his long-time girlfriend Caitlin Sellers. Straka went to the drop zone, and his wedge went into the back bunker. Wills strong play continued and he finished in 2nd place at the 2021 Masters Tournament, one stroke behind the champion. Each morning, he ate a full breakfast at 6 a.m. and then waited until late in the evening to have a robust dinner. Kim is the first player since Tiger Woods to win twice on TOUR before turning 21. [13], In January 2022, Zalatoris tied for the lead of the Farmers Insurance Open after 72 holes. Zalatoris, a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and a big Warriors fan, said his Stephen Curry-inspired retort was directed at all who have criticized his putting over the years. Spieths first tee shot flared right, but he scrambled to save par. 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?' The Tour Championship field at East Lake will fall to 29 and the starting strokes for other players in the field will not be affected. Pro V1x Titleist Golf Ball. He also fell short of winning the 2022 U.S. Open, with Matthew Fitzpatrick making Zalatoris a major runner-up for the third time. 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. The train of the wedding dress was spread over the stairs while she was holding white flowers in her hand. 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. [9] The win moved him to the leader on the Korn Ferry Tour points list and qualified him for the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. The bride completed her look with elegant makeup and open hair flowing down her shoulders. Spoiler alert: It's yet to be announced, but the course is almost certain to be added as the 2041 Ryder Cup site. William Patrick Zalatoris (born August 16, 1996) is an American professional golfer. Will and Caitlin stood on stairs decorated with green leaves and flowers, making an arc above their heads on an olive-colored wall. 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 . [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. Will Zalatoris is set to make his first TOUR start since the BMW Championship last August. 1 spot in the FedEx Cup standings after capturing his first PGA Tour win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis. 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational: How to watch, TV schedule, streaming, tee times, Meet the new GOLF Top 100 Teachers of America, 7 interesting gear finds inside Tommy Fleetwoods golf bag | Bag Spy, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. NT = No tournament Will had an outstanding collegiate and amateur career, which included representing the United States on the 2017 Walker Cup team at Los Angeles Country Club and winning 4 collegiate titles. During the hiatus, Zalatoris spent time with Greg Rose, a Doctor of Chiropractic at the Titleist Performance Institute, conducting an assessment with the goal of promoting career longevity. 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. 8 in the standings and is assured his first trip to the Tour Championship at East Lake. A Golf Channel article said Zalatoris was seeking to return at the Hero World Challenge. He has suffered two herniated discs and has been away from the game. Prior to moving to Dallas, he worked at the Detroit Free Press. 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. How much "louder" will LIV Golf get in its second season? Amateur Championship titled "Junior talent flourishing on national scale. 7 World Ranking. The highlights of the season came when he finished 2nd at both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open, then capped off an exceptional season with his first PGA Tour victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Junior Amateur title in 2014. 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. That offer came in 2015, when Zalatoris was 18 years old. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. Zalatoris had to have an emergency appendectomy. I feel really good with everything, Zalatoris said. Scott Bell, Breaking News Editor. It brought me back to being a kid. He played his fourth shot out to 4 feet as Zalatoris was still going over his options. But as Nelson week grew closer, those feelings the teenager were experiencing werent butterflies they were pains from an inflamed appendix. A feat that would soon eclipsed by his performance at Augusta a month later, but was at the time a career highlight: First PLAYERS.Surprise messages from family and friends. He was born and raised in San Francisco, playing at Cal Club, where he hung with a much older crowd and pounded . I have watched this 100 times and still cant explain it. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. At seventh in the Presidents Cup points standings, he likely would have been among the six . December 1, I think, was the first day I was cleared for full activity, and really just have been doing as much as I can since then not being able to have a club in my hand for a couple months, I dont think Ive done that probably since I was 8 or 9. One of Zalatoris favorite stories to tell about the three is a time when he and Scheffler were 11 and they played a round with Spieth (who was 14 at the time) at Bent Tree. Born in San Francisco, California, Will Zalatoris was introduced to the game early on playing with his parents at California Golf Club. I love you., A post shared by Will Zalatoris (@willzalatoris). Zalatoris entered August's BMW Championship in the advantageous No. He tends to push off his right side later than most; with his level of side bend, his right hip is high with his spine tilted back. Ill be better this time. 2. Get the latest D-FW sports news, analysis, scores and more. Oosthuizen is teetering on the brink of missing three majors in 2023. After so many near misses, Zalatoris picked up his first PGA Tour victory by defeating Sepp Straka in a playoff at the FedEx St. Jude Championship on Aug. 14. The two met at Wake Forest, where Zalatoris played college golf for three seasons before turning pro in 2018. Kevin Prise is an associate editor for PGATOUR.COM. Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. 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. Zalatoris is no longer the best on the PGA Tour without a victory. After sustaining a back injury in the first round of the 149th British Open, Will Zalatoris has withdrawn from his debut at the championship. So just keep doing what were doing and let the next win get in the way.. His tee shot hit the bank and then bounced seven times on the rocks before coming to rest. Mark Wahlberg pours tequila for fans at Dallas restaurant during thunderstorm, 12 Dallas-Fort Worth restaurants that have closed in 2023, Dallas Cowboys focused on adding another dynamic offensive weapon, UIL boys basketball playoffs (4A/3A): Faith Family stays composed; Carter finds rhythm. A month before his Masters breakthrough in 2021, Zalatoris was surprised by Romo with a congratulatory message for qualifying for The PLAYERS Championship. [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. Already a force in the majors, Zalatoris got that first win out of the way with clutch putts and smart decisions to beat Sepp Straka and capture the first FedEx Cup playoff event. Ive learned a lot about my body, probably more than I think I ever wanted to. Thursday afternoon in Hawaii cant come soon enough. 1 spot in the FedEx Cup standings after capturing his first PGA Tour win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis. The two played golf nearly every day during the pandemic at Bent Tree or Carrolltons Maridoe Golf Club, formerly Columbian Country Club. ATLANTA -- Will Zalatoris, who picked up his first PGA Tour victory two weeks ago, has withdrawn from the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club because of two herniated disks in his back. He ranked top-three in both Total Driving and Greens in Regulation on the 2019 and 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour, as well. During the 2021-2022 PGA Tour season, Will continued to rise in the world of golf. It figures Zalatoris struggled to reflect on his numerous close calls over the past three seasons. Zalatoris made the most of a four-month rehabilitation process after suffering two herniated discs in his back, but its a new year and hes ready to return to competition at this weeks Sentry Tournament of Champions. 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. 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. Will Zalatoris. Maintaining a high spot on the OWGR allows golfers who have never won a major to earn exemptions into future majors. We believe she is now a marketing analyst in Texas. Zalatoris has played just 40 holes since his thrilling playoff with Straka in the opening event of this years FedExCup Playoffs. 8:12 AM on May 21, 2022 CDT Updated at 11:37 PM on Aug 14, 2022 CDT. 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. Zalatoris is making his first start since withdrawing from the BMW Championship in August. "T" = tied Im more efficient in my golf swing, he said. Aiming for his first PGA Tour win, Zalatoris might make the 2022 PGA Championship his first title. An MRI revealed that Zalatoris, 26, had two herniated disks. Will Zalatoris is looking to keep the Southern Hills major streak alive. Will Zalatoris was born August 16, 1996, to his parents, Richard Zalatoris and Catherine Zalatoris. MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The 10-foot par putt in regulation was so crucial and the moment so important that Will Zalatoris doesn't remember screaming out when he made it, "What are they gonna say now?". 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. I spent some time with Dr. Greg Rose at [the Titleist Performance Institute], he said. Junior Amateur champion announced his engagement to girlfriend Caitlin Sellers, also a Demon Deacon, with a series of pictures on Instagram back in April of 2021. Zalatoris (back) pulls out of Tour Championship, A battle for No.