Will Zalatoris Out for PGA Tour Season With Back Surgery

Will Zalatoris played just seven times after returning from a previous back injury before spending the Masters weekend undergoing back surgery that will end his PGA Tour season.

Zalatoris, who fell short of forcing a playoff in the United States but won the PGA Championship in a playoff, was one putt away. Open last year, he revealed Monday on Instagram that he had a microdiscectomy on Saturday after obtaining several medical opinions.

“As much as I hate not being able to play the rest of this season, I am happy that I am already seeing the benefits of the procedure,” he wrote. “Playing while suffering is not enjoyable.”

After a successful 2022, Zalatoris is ranked eighth in the world. His first PGA Tour triumph came in the FedEx St. Jude Classic, along with two majors where he came close. He won the Jude Championship by outlasting Sepp Straka in a playoff.

But a week later, he pulled out of his second round of the BMW Championship. The rest of the PGA Tour postseason and the opportunity to compete in the Presidents Cup were both missed while he was sidelined for the remainder of the year.

He returned in January but never really competed, finishing in the top 10 just once in seven starts at the Genesis Invitational. Zalatoris participated in the practice rounds at Augusta National but withdrew from the Masters before it began.

Reference: www.usnews.com