Will Zalatoris Sets Return Date to Golf & Has Been Busy While on the Injured List

Will Zalatoris’s rise in the golf world was a rapid one. His accolades during his 2021 Rookie of the Year season included a runner-up at the Masters and a top 10 at the PGA Championship. Last year, he lost in a playoff at the PGA and was runner-up at the U.S. Open. He broke through by winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship in a playoff but couldn’t capitalize on that momentum after injuring his back the following week and missed the Tour Championship.

This year, his only top five was a fourth at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera in February. He then withdrew from the Masters and had surgery on the back that initially gave him trouble last August.

Will Zalatoris Wins A WILD Playoff Over Sepp Straka At The FedEx St. Jude For His First PGA Tour W https://t.co/rC6pvGHRVP pic.twitter.com/bfKaLKyFei

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 14, 2022

Zalatoris was at media day for the FedEx St. Jude this week; he said he’s recovering well and is expecting to play in tournaments starting in the fall.

Zalatoris explained:

“I’m looking at the fall tournaments (in October). There’s no rush on how many I play in the fall; it’s just making sure I get some competitive reps in before January. After 12 weeks, essentially, the integrity of the joint is at its max. It’s just that everything needs to settle into place.”

The 26-year-old continued:

“I think the last six months have been really good for me to kind of — really the last year, kind of grow and mature as a man and professional.”

Will Zalatoris (@WillZalatoris) will not get to defend his @FedExChamp title as he rehabs a back injury, but he describes taking on TPC Southwind.

And in this story… his thoughts on the PGA Tour-LIV Golf Merger

Full Story: https://t.co/vvGPP6cNPj pic.twitter.com/mIeaswBkBU

— Avery Braxton (@Brax_Avery) July 18, 2023

He was also on the “Chris Vernon Show” Monday and explained that he’s put his time off to good use, including dealing with some unfinished business after leaving school early to turn pro in 2017.

Zalatoris said:

“I’m graduating right now—finishing up my degree from Wake Forest. Now, I’m starting to be able to do stuff, it’s great. Because the first eight weeks where I wasn’t able to do anything … I ordered every book I could possibly find and I’m not much of a reader. I’m like signing up for classes. I’m finding stuff to do just because I knew I was going to go insane.”

Going into the Open Championship, the golf world has been relatively healthy. Only Zalatoris and Tiger Woods are skipping the year’s final major due to injury.

Cover Image Via Twitter