Its also the first of the PGA Tours new elevated events, with a $15 million purse. Spieths first tee shot flared right, but he scrambled to save par. But those battles started long before they were competing for millions on golfs grandest stage. Whether you win or lose, its just what you practice for.. "Playing the cutline is one of the toughest things in golf. Scott Bell, Breaking News Editor. He has displayed a good feel for the golf course (particularly the greens) and opened with rounds of 70-68. 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. Zalatoris, 24, played in Saturday's final round alongside Justin Rose. 7 World Ranking. Team. [5] He left school after his junior year to turn professional. 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. Zalatoris is no longer the best on the PGA Tour without a victory. 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. 10 things to know about Will Zalatoris, including his first PGA tour win 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. PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, and the Swinging Golfer design are registered trademarks. 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. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. If Will Zalatoris can quiet his putting issues, the rest of his game It was quite the scene at Wilmington (Del.) How much "louder" will LIV Golf get in its second season? But the speeds the same, everything feels really good.. 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. Besides him, Will Zalatoris' fans showered their blessings on the couple. 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.. At the time, Zalatoris was leading the FedEx Cup after capturing his first PGA Tour win a week earlier in Memphis. During Zalatoris rehab process, his routine might have looked like have a few putts and then maybe need to go grab a few beers with my boys. But hes an unabashed golf addict who will eagerly play four or five events in a row. Will Zalatoris spent his weekend on the greens, but not the one he's used to. TULSA, Okla. Will Zalatoris is looking to keep the Southern Hills major streak alive. 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. Special moment for @WillZalatoris.pic.twitter.com/4ks8CzchhY. He got treatment on the course but withdrew on the next hole when the pain did not subside. The current leader in the FedEx Cup standings. Will Zalatoris is married to Caitlyn Sellers. 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. 27 in the Official World Golf Rankings, earned a spot in the tournament through local qualifying, had to withdraw in his British Open debut because of an injury he suffered late in his first round, proposed to his long-time girlfriend Caitlin Sellers, fellow 25-year-old DFW golf star Scottie Scheffler, getting initial golf instruction from former U.S. Open champion Ken Venturi as a 6 year old in San Francisco, they were pains from an inflamed appendix, he earned a spot in the field of the 2015 Northern Trust by winning a collegiate showcase, the title he has reserved for former Cowboys QB Tony Romo, 10 things to know about Scottie Scheffler: 25-year-old Masters champ has taken golf world by storm, 10 things you may not know about Jordan Spieth, including how he battled a shark, getting asked out by Miss Texas in a freestyle rap, Find more golf coverage from The Dallas Morning News here, The Cowboys are closer than you think to a total makeover at running back, Why Rangers cautious approach with pitchers in spring training could still be risky, Jerry Jones talks Dak Prescotts Tom Brady-esque qualities and more from the NFL combine, Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving duos on-the-fly rapport gets test from Kevin Durant, Suns, A week after torching the Stars, Max Domi joins Dallas in its march toward the playoffs, DeSotos chase for third straight title continues after rout of Pearland in 6A semifinals, UIL boys basketball playoffs (6A): Tre Johnson, Lake Highlands shine; DeSoto defense rises, 2023 UIL girls state basketball: Schedule, previews and more for Dallas-area teams, 2023 UIL girls basketball state tournament pairings: See schedule for semifinal matchups, 2023 UIL boys basketball regional tournament pairings: See schedule for Dallas-area teams, 3 children killed, 2 wounded at Ellis County home; suspect in custody, How a Texas districts reaction to school shooting fears highlights discipline concerns. Being in contention as much as I was last year, theres just no better feeling than it, Zalatoris said Tuesday. Thursday afternoon in Hawaii cant come soon enough. 7 the season prior. 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. That included events like the 2009 U.S. Zalatoris was born in 1996 on the 16th of August. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. 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. [6], Zalatoris turned professional in 2018 but failed to make it past First Stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Q School. "This course is where every shot you hit you're on the edge of your seat," Straka said. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Zalatoris just missed earning one of the six automatic spots on the U.S. team for the Presidents Cup. Zalatoris looked to be in trouble from a fairway bunker on the 18th in regulation until he made that 10-footer for par at a 4-under 66. Amateur, when Zalatoris qualified as a 12 year old and competed as a 13 year old, alongside Scheffler and Spieth. I realized I dont need to be on the range for hours; I need to play. NT = No tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic. He even married his longtime sweetheart, Caitlin. 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. Fitzpatrick made his first PGA TOUR win a major, claiming the U.S. Open at the same venue where he won the U.S. 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. $14,217,888 Career Earnings. Representing Trinity Christian Academy in Addison, a suburb of Dallas, Texas, Zalatoris won the U.S. 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. He entered Sunday in a logjam for second at 7 under, four shots back of Matsuyama. [7] With no status in 2019, Zalatoris relied on Monday qualifying and sponsor exemptions to play in Korn Ferry Tour events. At the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship, Will Zalatoris claimed his first victory on the PGA TOUR in dramatic fashion with rounds of 71-63-65-66 to finish at. Clearly ready to end the first-timers . I love you., A post shared by Will Zalatoris (@willzalatoris). Be the first one to comment on this story. Will Zalatoris Musician Gryffin congratulated the golfer in the comments section. TSR3 Titleist Driver. Will picked up his first professional victory in 2020 at the TPC Colorado Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour. The Korn Ferry trademark is also a registered trademark, and is used in the Korn Ferry Tour logo with permission. Oosthuizen is teetering on the brink of missing three majors in 2023. Will Zalatoris withdraws from BMW Championship: FedEx Cup points leader This is the first time Zalatoris has qualified for Kapalua. Will Zalatoris is a rising star on the PGA Tour who has three top-10 finishes in the . Please logout and login again. And then Smith was four shots back without hitting a shot. The Wake Forest alum has been a premier ball-striker for four consecutive seasons in TOUR-sanctioned competition, and he admits its not natural inclination to want to change anything. 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. Then once I came back, it was pretty easy to keep the competitive juices flowing.. In Texas, we couldnt practice, but we could play. Zalatoris Masters breakthrough wasnt even the highlight of his month back in April of 2021. He also fell short of winning the 2022 U.S. Open, with Matthew Fitzpatrick making Zalatoris a major runner-up for the third time. Lucas Glover came away with a consolation prize. When tournaments started up, I was ready to go. It made us all really sharp. Hes also changed his setup to help fix some of his motor pattern issues that may have caused his injury. 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. 70 by three points. 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. Straka followed with a shot that also hit the bank, took one bounce off the rocks and went into the water. 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. Zalatoris (back) pulls out of Tour Championship, A battle for No. 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. 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. Straka, who played bogey-free over the final 13 holes in regulation, moves to No. 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. After years of dating, the couple finally tied the knot and shared the good news with Will's 256K Instagram followers. 1 spot in the FedEx Cup standings after capturing his first PGA Tour win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis. Meanwhile, No. But in the name of avoiding future injury, hes working through the proverbial process. 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. 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. 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. Spoiler alert: It's yet to be announced, but the course is almost certain to be added as the 2041 Ryder Cup site. 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. 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. Get the latest D-FW sports news, analysis, scores and more. Nothing was more wild than the final hole. 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 took that attitude all the way to the final group on Saturday. Not really. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He spent much of his teenage golfing years playing junior tournaments in Texas alongside his friend Jordan Spieth. Will Zalatoris' Masters run not a surprise to Tony Romo - New York Post We believe she is now a marketing analyst in Texas. The grip trick and 20-minute practice routine Will Zalatoris - PGATour PGA Tour: Will Zalatoris made LIV Golf look like dumbest thing ever He secured membership for the remainder of the season on July 7 after a tie for third at the LECOM Health Challenge, and finished the regular season 60th in points, earning full status for the 2020 season.[8]. At seventh in the Presidents Cup points standings, he likely would have been among the six . 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. Presidents Cup 2022: 'It's bittersweet'Injured Will Zalatoris takes up This week is a limited-field tournanment with only last years winners and Tour Championship qualifiers. "It's hard to say, 'About time,' when it's your second year on tour, but it's about time," Zalatoris said.