Ive learned a lot about my body, probably more than I think I ever wanted to, Zalatoris said Tuesday afternoon in Hawaii. Zalatoris breakthrough at Augusta was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to strong showings at major championships. Will Zalatoris spent his weekend on the greens, but not the one he's used to. 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. 12 Things You Didn't Know About Will Zalatoris | Golf Monthly Not really. Wake Forest University College. 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. Zalatoris won't be replaced in the 30-man field at East Lake and will receive a $500,000 bonus. For the first time in 138 days, Will Zalatoris will play a PGA Tour event this week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Will Zalatoris spent his weekend on the greens, but not the one he's used to. Results not in chronological order before 2019 and in 2020. Spieth was three grades ahead of them growing up, but the three found themselves clashing on the junior circuit quite often. After attending Wake Forest for her undergraduate degree, Sellers went to the University of Texas to complete her Masters degree. However, the Sentry Tournament of Champions recently announced that Zalatoris is expected in the field for the event in early January. He was captain of his high school golf team and still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. So it was actually kind of a nice fix.. 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. Scott is the Breaking News Editor for the Dallas Morning News. Zalatoris ultimately fell one shot short of Matsuyama and finished in solo second place, good for a payday of $1,242,000. After a short visit and numerous stretches, Zalatoris decided to withdraw from the event. But in the name of avoiding future injury, hes working through the proverbial process. Zalatoris' first professional victory came in July 2020, when he narrowly won the TPC Colorado Championship by one stroke. Straka, who played bogey-free over the final 13 holes in regulation, moves to No. 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, 26, hasn't teed it up since withdrawing during the third. The 26-year-old has long displayed an aptitude for quickly bouncing back from injury. [11] He followed it up with a T8 at the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship, and secured Special Temporary Member status after the Bermuda Championship in early November. I feel really good with everything, Zalatoris said. 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. The grip trick and 20-minute practice routine Will Zalatoris - PGATour If Will Zalatoris can quiet his putting issues, the rest of his game Top 100 Courses in the U.S.: GOLFs all-new 2022-23 ranking is here! TULSA, Okla. Will Zalatoris is looking to keep the Southern Hills major streak alive. At the FedEx St. Jude Championships, Zalatoris entered a three-hole playoff vs. Sepp Straka that could have very well swung Strakas way had some balls bounced differently. "Considering where Sepp was and he had 4 feet for 5, there's no reason for me to try that shot and make it bank right into the grass and go back in the water and all of a sudden I've lost the golf tournament," Zalatoris said. Newlywed Will Zalatoris returns from back injury at Sentry At seventh in the Presidents Cup points standings, he likely would have been among the six . 8 in the standings and is assured his first trip to the Tour Championship at East Lake. I love you., A post shared by Will Zalatoris (@willzalatoris). He was named the 2017 ACC Player of the Year and 2017 First-Team All-American. Zalatoris notches first PGA Tour victory in playoff, A battle for No. 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 . The shorter driver allows him more time to bring a potential right miss back on line, he said. Straka followed with a shot that also hit the bank, took one bounce off the rocks and went into the water. So it was actually kind of a nice fix.. 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.. 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. Zalatoris shot 1-under 69 on Thursday, but on the 15th hole he drove into the thick rough. Besides him, Will Zalatoris' fans showered their blessings on the couple. Amateur Championship titled "Junior talent flourishing on national scale. 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. Zalatoris is among a notable list of first-time TOUR winners who have committed to the Sentry Tournament of. Hes also changed his setup to help fix some of his motor pattern issues that may have caused his injury. Masters 2021: Now in full bloom, Will Zalatoris nearly cooks up victory He played his fourth shot out to 4 feet as Zalatoris was still going over his options. Who Is Will Zalatoris' Wife? | Golf Monthly Born in San Francisco, California, Will Zalatoris was introduced to the game early on playing with his parents at California Golf Club. Zalatoris took that attitude all the way to the final group on Saturday. Im more efficient in my golf swing -- so thats why the speed is the same with the shorter driver; its just because of the efficiency now of how I push into a golf ball.. Smith declined interview requests. Will Zalatoris withdraws from BMW Championship: FedEx Cup points leader Prior to moving to Dallas, he worked at the Detroit Free Press. When tournaments started up, I was ready to go. Ill be better this time. They examined the pressures of his swing, concluding a motor pattern was the root cause of the strain on his back. 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. 70 by three points. 2. 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. I love you., On Tuesday, also via Instagram, Zalatoris posted a photo of the happy couple with the caption, Cant wait to spend the rest of my life with my best friend. "He is also very disappointed that he will not have the opportunity to play in next month's Presidents Cup, where he was hoping to play for Captain [Davis] Love and represent the United States," Zalatoris' agent, Allen Hobbs, said in a statement. How much "louder" will LIV Golf get in its second season? PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, and the Swinging Golfer design are registered trademarks. 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. 8:12 AM on May 21, 2022 CDT Updated at 11:37 PM on Aug 14, 2022 CDT. [14], In May 2022, Zalatoris finished second in a major championship for the second time. Will Zalatoris' Girlfriend & Family: 5 Fast Facts | Heavy.com Will Zalatoris' fiancee asked him one of the biggest deal-breaker As the news broke on the internet, fans jumped into the comments section of his post to congratulate the newlywed star. Find classes that best matches your needs. WD = withdrew Zalatoris came close to sending the U.S. Open to a playoff on Sunday, only to finish disappointed once again. Will and Caitlin have been dating each other since they met in 2018 at Wake Forest College. [13], In January 2022, Zalatoris tied for the lead of the Farmers Insurance Open after 72 holes. Impact Zalatoris played in his first tournament since tweaking his back at the BMW Championship in August. I did a pretty deep dive with Damon, my trainer, with Dr. [Greg] Rose, Dr. Duffy, he said of his team. 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. Wills strong play continued and he finished in 2nd place at the 2021 Masters Tournament, one stroke behind the champion. For the first time in 138 days, Will Zalatoris will play a PGA Tour event this week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Will Zalatoris' winning highlights from FedEx St. Jude | 2022 Will Zalatoris hilariously explained why Phil Mickelson could play Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore remake. And that would keep alive a crazy stat: of the seven major championships played at Southern Hills, all were won by a player who led or co-led the tournament through 36 holes. Kim is the first player since Tiger Woods to win twice on TOUR before turning 21. Is Dallas becoming unaffordable due to rising housing costs, inflation and stagnating pay? He actually learned the way he generated power could have led to the back issues in the first place. He spent much of his teenage golfing years playing junior tournaments in Texas alongside his friend Jordan Spieth. Ill be better this time. But those battles started long before they were competing for millions on golfs grandest stage. Thursday afternoon in Hawaii cant come soon enough. "Add the nerves of competing for a tournament to that, especially for a playoff event, and yeah, it can get a little crazy.". Will Zalatoris. The newly married couple posed for the camera, standing side by side with Will Zalatoris' hands resting on his wife's waist. "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. 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. Weve looked at everything I was doing, to make sure I was doing all the right things and we were checking all the boxes, and it was strictly a motor pattern thing, said Zalatoris, who has opted to temporarily decrease his driver length (to approximately 44.75 inches, down from 46 inches) as he works through the setup change. The first event of 2023 also could be Will Zalatoris first start since August. 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. Zalatoris just missed earning one of the six automatic spots on the U.S. team for the Presidents Cup. "It's hard to say, 'About time,' when it's your second year on tour, but it's about time," Zalatoris said. He entered Sunday in a logjam for second at 7 under, four shots back of Matsuyama. The breakthrough: Will Zalatoris survives bizarre, thrilling playoff to He admittedly got bored quickly with his recovery routine. 27 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Be a little more centered, as opposed to having ball forward with more spine tilt at address, Zalatoris said. This is the first time Zalatoris has qualified for Kapalua. Will Zalatoris is married to Caitlyn Sellers. 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 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. 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. The Plano alum walked down the aisle with his long-term girlfriend, Caitlin Sellers, who has been his best friend since his college days. [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. 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 breakthrough victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. ET in the final group with Mito Pereira. 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. When my right hip gets high and the spine tilts back, youre all of a sudden creating all that stress on your back. In a picture shared on his Instagram page, Will Zalatoris was dressed in blue formals with a matching bow tie while his gorgeous wife Caitlin was in the limelight in her elegant white wedding gown. Will Zalatoris - GOLF News, Rumors, & Updates | FOX Sports He tried to play through the injury but withdrew on the next hole. Special moment for @WillZalatoris.pic.twitter.com/4ks8CzchhY. 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. Spieths first tee shot flared right, but he scrambled to save par. "T" = Tied 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. During the 2021-2022 PGA Tour season, Will continued to rise in the world of golf. Oosthuizen is teetering on the brink of missing three majors in 2023. Zalatoris zoomed up the leaderboard Friday with a second-round 65 to take the solo lead at 9 under. Zalatoris won on the third playoff hole. Junior Amateur title in 2014. [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. He had to sit out the Presidents Cup but did appear on-site to cheer on the U.S. Now, hes back, and at another big-time event. 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. The two met at Wake Forest, where Zalatoris played college golf for three seasons before turning pro in 2018. PGA TOUR players on Scottie Schefflers breakout season. He has displayed a good feel for the golf course (particularly the greens) and opened with rounds of 70-68. Zalatoris entered August's BMW Championship in the advantageous No. Glover closed with a 66 and wound up in a tie for third. 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. Zalatoris was born in San Francisco, California, but his family moved to the Dallas, Texas, area . But during the third round at Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Delaware, Zalatoris suffered a back injury on the third hole. 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. Will attended Wake Forest University where he received the Arnold Palmer Scholarship. Nothing was more wild than the final hole. If that doesnt sound like a household name to you, dont worry. Straka went to the drop zone, and his wedge went into the back bunker. PGA Tour: Will Zalatoris gets married, expected to return in Hawaii Amateur nearly a decade earlier. That included events like the 2009 U.S. Zalatoris who grew up in San Francisco, got his start in golf as a youth at the California Golf Club, went to college at Wake Forest and now makes his home in Texas combines the perfect . Caitlin has changed her last name to Zalatoris on her Instagram account. Will Zalatoris watches his putt on the 9th. How much "louder" will LIV Golf get in its second season? The two have been together for more than four years now after meeting at Wake Forest college in late 2018. Be the first one to comment on this story. 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. Representing Trinity Christian Academy in Addison, a suburb of Dallas, Texas, Zalatoris won the U.S. Something went wrong while submitting the form. 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. Zalatoris is no longer the best on the PGA Tour without a victory. This one could have gone either way, a playoff that featured three penalty drops in three holes, neither player making birdie and Zalatoris winning on the par-3 11th with a bogey. Like Spieth and Scheffler, Zalatoris received the opportunity to play in the AT&T Byron Nelson as a teenager through a sponsors exemption. Will Zalatoris after his missed putt on the . Sandler tweeted Have fun today young man. Let him tell you about adult film, 'It's f----- hard': Jon Rahm comes back to Earth at brutal Bay Hill, How to watch the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational on Friday: Round 2 TV schedule, streaming, One of the worst things to happen: Pro rants after PGA Tour change, 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational tee times: Round 2 groupings for Friday, How to watch the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational on Thursday: Round 1 TV schedule, streaming, 5 ways the PGA Tour just got better (and 3 ways it got worse! Will Zalatoris withdraws from Tour Championship, will also not play in PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, and the Swinging Golfer design are registered trademarks. Yes, as a 14-year-old kid. "Considering all those close finishes, it means a lot.". Will Zalatoris and Caitlin Sellers are considered among the most beautiful couples in the sports world. 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. 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. The Players Championship will be contested next week without its biggest draw. 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. Im always available for you, Mr. Gilmore., If youre ever in need of a caddie again let me know. Ive learned a lot about my body, probably more than I think I ever wanted to. According to Golf Monthly, Sellers has completed her post-graduate studies at the University of Texas and is most likely working as a marketing analyst. Will Zalatoris' Masters run not a surprise to Tony Romo - New York Post There's a legitimate possibility it could happen again on Sunday as Will Zalatoris hovers near the top of the leaderboard. The former Wake Forest star and 2014 U.S. Id go to the course, carrying my bag, playing with my buddies, just trying to beat the crap out of each other. 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. "That was another good step for Will," said . I spent some time with Dr. Greg Rose at [the Titleist Performance Institute], he said. Note that the Championship and Invitational were discontinued from 2022. Zalatoris (back) pulls out of Tour Championship, A battle for No. Will Zalatoris A huge break for Zalatoris? Junior Amateur title in 2014. It figures Zalatoris struggled to reflect on his numerous close calls over the past three seasons. Junior Amateur in 2014. I realized I dont need to be on the range for hours; I need to play. 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. The first event of 2023 also could be Will Zalatoris' first start since August. Will Zalatoris gets married to 'best friend' Caitlin Sellers Willy Z is FINALLY a winner on the PGA Tour pic.twitter.com/p02shNTaK2. Will and Caitlin stood on stairs decorated with green leaves and flowers, making an arc above their heads on an olive-colored wall. 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. But the speeds the same, everything feels really good.. Zalatoris will collect $500,000 for 30th, or last place . And then Smith was four shots back without hitting a shot. Will was voted the 2020-2021 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year by his peers. 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. Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship, The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship, "Zalatoris, Riley progress from U.S. 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. A month before his Masters breakthrough in 2021, Zalatoris was surprised by Romo with a congratulatory message for qualifying for The PLAYERS Championship. William Patrick Zalatoris (born August 16, 1996) is an American professional golfer. Heading into the PGA Championship, Zalatoris had four top-10 finishes in his first seven career major championship appearances. Among his eight top-10s are three runners-up, including at two majorsthe PGA Championship and U.S . 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. British Open: Will Zalatoris WD's after feeling 'tingling' in his leg He has competed primarily on the PGA Tour, where he has won once, at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship . Representing TCA-Addison in 2014, Zalatoris won the U.S. He didnt exactly take it easy during his time off. Aiming for his first PGA Tour win, Zalatoris might make the 2022 PGA Championship his first title. Will Zalatoris has been struggling with a back injury since August. 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. Zalatoris was voted PGA Tour Rookie of the Year for the 202021 season. He was born and raised in San Francisco, playing at Cal Club, where he hung with a much older crowd and pounded . Will Zalatoris thinks Phil Mickelson would be perfect Shooter McGavin 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. Back from injury, Will Zalatoris reveals swing fix that took stress off Will Zalatoris is set to make his first TOUR start since the BMW Championship last August. He has competed primarily on the PGA Tour, where he has won once, at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship . The train of the wedding dress was spread over the stairs while she was holding white flowers in her hand. Each morning, he ate a full breakfast at 6 a.m. and then waited until late in the evening to have a robust dinner. How Will Zalatoris bulked up and added 12 yards of carry to his - Golf Will Zalatoris is looking to keep the Southern Hills major streak alive. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. It was nice because I was able to bring the ball flight down; living in Texas, youre used to hitting the ball low, but its doing it by itself as opposed to having to manipulate it. NT = No tournament PGA:How to watch|ESPN+ streaming|Leaderboard|Saturday tee times. He teed off at 2:50 p.m. But. Zalatoris had four runners-up including three in major championships before winning in Memphis. 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. GOLF.com and GOLF Magazine are published by EB GOLF MEDIA LLC, a division of 8AM GOLF, Back from injury, Will Zalatoris reveals swing fix that took stress off his back, What is Jim Nantzs career lowlight? Let him tell you about adult film, Its f hard: Jon Rahm comes back to Earth at brutal Bay Hill. 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.