Zalatoris' first professional victory came in July 2020, when he narrowly won the TPC Colorado Championship by one stroke. ATLANTA -- Will Zalatoris, who picked up his first PGA Tour victory two weeks ago, has withdrawn from the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club because of two herniated disks in his back. Will Zalatoris Won $1.2 Million at the Masters Despite Not Having His 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. 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. https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2022/12/14/will-zalatoris-gets-married-caitlin-sellers-tournament-of-champions/, Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America, Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, announced his engagement to girlfriend Caitlin Sellers, Zalatoris suffered a back injury on the third hole, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. Will Zalatoris is set to make his first TOUR start since the BMW Championship last August. Zalatoris has said he gets comparisons to Owen Wilson quite a bit, but the one that gained the most steam during the 2021 Masters was a comparison to Jared van Snellenberg. 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 led the TOUR last season in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green, after ranking No. He shared the good news via his official Instagram page on December 13. 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. https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2022/05/21/will-zalatoris-mexican-food-veg-time-caddie-ryan-goble-2022-pga-championship/, Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America, Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, led or co-led the tournament through 36 holes. Yes, as a 14-year-old kid. ), 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. PGA Tour: Will Zalatoris gets married, expected to return in Hawaii Representing TCA-Addison in 2014, Zalatoris won the U.S. Will Zalatoris' Girlfriend & Family: 5 Fast Facts | Heavy.com Wills strong play continued and he finished in 2nd place at the 2021 Masters Tournament, one stroke behind the champion. Sitting in a hospital bed on the Monday morning of the tournament, Zalatoris had to make one of the toughest phone calls of his life when he dialed up tournament director Jon Drago and withdrew from the tournament. Id go to the course, carrying my bag, playing with my buddies, just trying to beat the crap out of each other. This is the best of the best, Zalatoris said Tuesday ahead of the tournament. The shorter driver allows him more time to bring a potential right miss back on line, he said. 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 former U.S. Open champion came into the FedEx Cup playoffs at No. Zalatoris didnt end up winning the hardware that year, but he did hoist the trophy a few years later. We believe she is now a marketing analyst in Texas. Oops! 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. Be the first one to comment on this story. Will Zalatoris is a rising star on the PGA Tour who has three top-10 finishes in the . 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.. Heading into the PGA Championship, Zalatoris had four top-10 finishes in his first seven career major championship appearances. Special moment for @WillZalatoris.pic.twitter.com/4ks8CzchhY. PGA: Mexican food, 'veg time' for Will Zalatoris, caddie - Golfweek Thursday afternoon in Hawaii cant come soon enough. He was the highest-ranked player in the world without a TOUR win before beating Sepp Straka in a playoff at TPC Southwind. 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. 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. 1 spot in the FedEx Cup standings after capturing his first PGA Tour win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis. He became the first player to be voted Rookie of the Year without having a card in 20 years (Charles Howell III did so in 2001). Zalatoris. Zalatoris, 24, played in Saturday's final round alongside Justin Rose. For the first time in 138 days, Will Zalatoris will play a PGA Tour event this week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Its also the first of the PGA Tours new elevated events, with a $15 million purse. Luckily for Zalatoris, Nelson organizers honored the exemption the following year and he made the start as a 19 year old. How much "louder" will LIV Golf get in its second season? Whenever we maybe mention something that you maybe want to change, I think all of us kind of had some red flags go up. [6], Zalatoris turned professional in 2018 but failed to make it past First Stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Q School. He got treatment on the course but withdrew on the next hole when the pain did not subside. Zalatoris will collect $500,000 for 30th, or last place . Zalatoris has played just 40 holes since his thrilling playoff with Straka in the opening event of this years FedExCup Playoffs. It was quite the scene at Wilmington (Del.) In Texas, we couldnt practice, but we could play. Scott is the Breaking News Editor for the Dallas Morning News. At seventh in the Presidents Cup points standings, he likely would have been among the six captain's choices for the team. Will Zalatoris, the 25-year-old golfer out of Dallas has finally grabbed his first PGA Tour victory, winning a three-hole playoff vs. Sepp Straka at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. "T" = tied For the first time in 138 days, Will Zalatoris will play a PGA Tour event this week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. And then Smith was four shots back without hitting a shot. Clark finished at No. ET in the final group with Mito Pereira. The two played golf nearly every day during the pandemic at Bent Tree or Carrolltons Maridoe Golf Club, formerly Columbian Country Club. 8:12 AM on May 21, 2022 CDT Updated at 11:37 PM on Aug 14, 2022 CDT. 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. When Zalatoris first broke onto the golf scene, golf fans on social media were quick to point out their favorite Zalatoris doppelgngers. 1 player strokes gained tee to green this past year, or at least approach, to want to go in and say, hey, you need to make some changes. After sustaining a back injury in the first round of the 149th British Open, Will Zalatoris has withdrawn from his debut at the championship. Besides him, Will Zalatoris' fans showered their blessings on the couple. Aiming for his first PGA Tour win, Zalatoris might make the 2022 PGA Championship his first title. Kevin Prise is an associate editor for PGATOUR.COM. If that doesnt sound like a household name to you, dont worry. 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. I feel really good with everything, Zalatoris said. Copyright 2023 PGA TOUR, Inc. All rights reserved. Born in San Francisco, California, Will Zalatoris was introduced to the game early on playing with his parents at California Golf Club. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Will Zalatoris scheduled to return at Sentry - pgatour.com 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. William Patrick Zalatoris (born August 16, 1996) is an American professional golfer. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. 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. Impact Zalatoris played in his first tournament since tweaking his back at the BMW Championship in August. The fix: adjusting his setup, with the goal of reducing the strain on his back. Zalatoris told Golf Digest I was lucky. Zalatoris called the process the "easiest 15 pounds [he's] ever put on." . But that showing not only made him a household name to a number of previously unaware golf fans, it also vaulted Zalatoris to No. He teed off at 2:50 p.m. Will Zalatoris after his missed putt on the . He was born and raised in San Francisco, playing at Cal Club, where he hung with a much older crowd and pounded . Will Zalatoris gets married to 'best friend' Caitlin Sellers Will Zalatoris makes most of three-hole playoff to win FedEx St. Jude He . "T" = Tied However, the Sentry Tournament of Champions recently announced that Zalatoris is expected in the field for the event in early January. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images. Will Zalatoris on LIV Golf, Tiger Woods struggles after college, more It made us all really sharp. 1 spot in the FedEx Cup, assuring him a reasonable shot at the $18 million prize in two weeks. But the speeds the same, everything feels really good.. Thats the most recent tournament he completed before injury struck, and its a feeling hes keen to recapture. The post included the caption, Best day of my life. Oosthuizen is teetering on the brink of missing three majors in 2023. Will Zalatoris withdraws from BMW Championship: FedEx Cup points leader A month before his Masters breakthrough in 2021, Zalatoris was surprised by Romo with a congratulatory message for qualifying for The PLAYERS Championship. It brought me back to being a kid. The breakthrough: Will Zalatoris survives bizarre, thrilling playoff to Shortly after his second-place finish at Augusta, Zalatoris proposed to his long-time girlfriend Caitlin Sellers. He lost to Justin Thomas in a playoff in the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma. [15], In June 2022, Zalatoris had another second place in a major championship. Will Zalatoris. When tournaments started up, I was ready to go. [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. Sandler tweeted Have fun today young man. Zalatorisand his playing partner, Emiliano Grillo, let the group of Sam Burns and Adam Hadwin through as they waited for the PGA Tour physio. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The grip trick and 20-minute practice routine Will Zalatoris - PGATour He came shot consistently all weekend, shooting a 69 in each round Thursday- Saturday. Start the Golf Season off right with InsideGOLF ($100 value - just $20). I love you., A post shared by Will Zalatoris (@willzalatoris). If Will Zalatoris can quiet his putting issues, the rest of his game Country Club when he tweaked his lower back. He tried to play through the injury but withdrew on the next hole. 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. Zalatoris holed a dramatic 18th-hole birdie to tie the match against Na and he won the match four holes later with a birdie at the par-4 13th hole. 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. Instead, it looks like the Sentry Tournament of Champions could be the site of his return. Maintaining a high spot on the OWGR allows golfers who have never won a major to earn exemptions into future majors. He even married his longtime sweetheart, Caitlin. Team. The winner of the FedEx Cup championship receives $18 million. Zalatoris is no longer the best on the PGA Tour without a victory. Like Spieth and Scheffler, Zalatoris received the opportunity to play in the AT&T Byron Nelson as a teenager through a sponsors exemption. Watching some of my friends play, going to the Presidents Cup, kind of keeping my mind active and spending some time with the guys back home, even just riding around in a cart when they were playing, Zalatoris described his downtime, keep my mind active, even though my body wouldnt let me. Zalatoris won't be replaced in the 30-man field at East Lake and will receive a $500,000 bonus. Critics say new PGA Tour events copy LIV. That offer came in 2015, when Zalatoris was 18 years old. This is the first time Zalatoris has qualified for Kapalua. 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. The train of the wedding dress was spread over the stairs while she was holding white flowers in her hand. Zalatoris just missed earning one of the six automatic spots on the U.S. team for the Presidents Cup. Zalatoris won on the third playoff hole. Born in San Francisco, California, Will Zalatoris was introduced to the game early on playing with his parents at California Golf Club. 8 in the standings and is assured his first trip to the Tour Championship at East Lake. TULSA, Okla. Will Zalatoris is looking to keep the Southern Hills major streak alive. Will Zalatoris is married to Caitlyn Sellers. [12], In October 2021, Zalatoris shot his career low round (61) on the PGA Tour at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi. Among his eight top-10s are three runners-up, including at two majorsthe PGA Championship and U.S . There's a legitimate possibility it could happen again on Sunday as Will Zalatoris hovers near the top of the leaderboard. 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. Zalatoris experienced a string of close calls last year - namely six top-six finishes in an eight-event stretch, including runner-up finishes at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open - before his. 1 spot in the FedEx Cup standings after capturing his first PGA Tour win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis. Our crew of Davis Riley, Kevin Dougherty and Tony Romo played money games five days a week for four months. He recorded three 2nd Place finishes, nine Top-10 finishes, and ended the year ranked #7 in the Official World Golf Ranking. 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?". Newlywed Will Zalatoris returns from back injury at Sentry 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. Im trying to get more centered over it and work more around my right side, so more a turn as opposed to a lateral shift. An MRI revealed that Zalatoris, 26, had two herniated disks. Now, hes back, and at another big-time event. [13], In January 2022, Zalatoris tied for the lead of the Farmers Insurance Open after 72 holes. Now having finally collected a Tour win, Zalatoris will enter the top 10 in the world for the first time, further solidifying him as one of golfs rising stars. Player Profile: Birthplace. But during the third round at Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Delaware, Zalatoris suffered a back injury on the third hole. It was quite the scene at Wilmington (Del.) Masters 2021: Now in full bloom, Will Zalatoris nearly cooks up victory He even had his favorite spot right off the 18th hole where hed strategically place himself to get autographs from his favorite players. 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. 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. So thats why my speed is the same actually with the shorter driver. It was actually nice because I was able to bring the ball flight down, which, I mean, I know living in Texas youre used to hitting the ball low, but its doing it by itself as opposed to having to manipulate it. Smith was given a two-shot penalty when rules officials realized upon review that when he took a penalty drop in the third round, the ball was still touching the red hazard line. 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. He got married in December but also spent much of the time rehabbing. Will Zalatoris' winning highlights from FedEx St. Jude | 2022 Zalatoris was four shots off the lead at Wilmington (Del.) 34 and has a good chance of being part of the top 30 who go to the Tour Championship to play for that $18 million first prize. Zalatoris had to have an emergency appendectomy. Caitlin and Will got married in an intimate ceremony earlier this week. I spent some time with Dr. Greg Rose at [the Titleist Performance Institute], he said. Masters 2021: 5 things to know about Will Zalatoris - The Augusta Chronicle Hes also changed his setup to help fix some of his motor pattern issues that may have caused his injury. Will Zalatoris' Masters run not a surprise to Tony Romo - New York Post Spieth then birdied six of the next eight holes for a 29 on his way to a course-record 63. 1, LIV Golf's debut on The CW scores low ratings, How to watch PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational on ESPN+, Kirk wins Honda in playoff; 1st title since 2015, Howell (63) wins in Mexico for 1st title in LIV, Nicklaus: '24 schedule likely to aid Honda field, Siem ends 8-year wait for another Euro Tour title, Vu overcomes 6-shot deficit to win 1st LPGA title, What's to come in the FedEx Cup playoffs after a long-awaited win for Will Zalatoris, PGA Tour docks Smith 2 shots for bad drop, Here are the 70 players who advanced in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Wake Forest University College. After years of dating, the couple finally tied the knot and shared the good news with Will's 256K Instagram followers. How much "louder" will LIV Golf get in its second season? Will Zalatoris' fiancee asked him one of the biggest deal-breaker That issue was muscular, not structural like the current one, so it kind of came out of the blue, he said. The two have been together for more than four years now after meeting at Wake Forest college in late 2018. After attending Wake Forest for her undergraduate degree, Sellers went to the University of Texas to complete her Masters degree. And I do it later than a lot of guys, so what that does for someone with a lot of side bend is that gets my right hip high and on my spines tilted back, and so as Dr. Rose said, duh, no wonder I had a back issue.. 1, LIV Golf's debut on The CW scores low ratings, How to watch PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational on ESPN+, Kirk wins Honda in playoff; 1st title since 2015, Howell (63) wins in Mexico for 1st title in LIV, Nicklaus: '24 schedule likely to aid Honda field, Siem ends 8-year wait for another Euro Tour title, Vu overcomes 6-shot deficit to win 1st LPGA title, FedEx Cup leader Zalatoris WDs with back injury, Who can win the FedEx Cup? Each morning, he ate a full breakfast at 6 a.m. and then waited until late in the evening to have a robust dinner. It took three playoff holes to get the answer on Sunday in the FedEx St. Jude Championship, and it was more along the lines of what they won't say. "Add the nerves of competing for a tournament to that, especially for a playoff event, and yeah, it can get a little crazy.". Having finished runner-up in three majors in his career, it seemed to be only a matter of time before Zalatoris finally collected a title. Zalatoris moves into the top 10 in the world for the first time and takes the No. Whether you win or lose, its just what you practice for.. The shutdown simplified things.. 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. 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. He also has three runner-up finishes in major championships. But those battles started long before they were competing for millions on golfs grandest stage. Will Zalatoris Ive learned a lot about my body, probably more than I think I ever wanted to. 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. At seventh in the Presidents Cup points standings, he likely would have been among the six . September 14, 2022 4:18 pm ET Will Zalatoris had quite the year. 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. Lucas Glover came away with a consolation prize. 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. WD = withdrew Tyler Lauletta. Straka went to the drop zone, and his wedge went into the back bunker. Zalatoris is making his first start since withdrawing from the BMW Championship in August. He was the 36-hole leader at the 2022 PGA Championship before ultimately falling short of his first major championship after losing to Justin Thomas in a three-hole playoff. Straka won his first PGA TOUR title earlier in the year at The Honda Classic. Zalatoris had honors, but his shot was in trouble immediately. Will Zalatoris withdraws from Tour Championship, will also not play in Zalatoris zoomed up the leaderboard Friday with a second-round 65 to take the solo lead at 9 under. Let us take your yoga routines to the next level with our 365 day challenge and programs schedule. [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. 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. 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. He admittedly got bored quickly with his recovery routine. So it was actually kind of a nice fix.. 70 by three points. He spent much of his teenage golfing years playing junior tournaments in Texas alongside his friend Jordan Spieth. 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 . PGA:How to watch|ESPN+ streaming|Leaderboard|Saturday tee times. "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. The bride completed her look with elegant makeup and open hair flowing down her shoulders. Follow Kevin Prise on Twitter. Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship, The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship, "Zalatoris, Riley progress from U.S. But. Top 100 Courses in the U.S.: GOLFs all-new 2022-23 ranking is here! Will was voted the 2020-2021 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year by his peers. Will Zalatoris - GOLF News, Rumors, & Updates | FOX Sports Im more efficient in my golf swing, he said. 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. Zalatoris (back) pulls out of Tour Championship, A battle for No. But I think the big thing for me is we spent a lot of time understanding the pressures of my golf swing and understanding how I push off my right side.