Will Zalatoris appears to be feeling better than he has in nearly three years and plans to return to the PGA Tour in 2026.
After missing the cut at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in May, Zalatoris underwent back surgery for the second time in just over two years.
The 29-year-old enjoyed increasing success from 2020 to 2022, notching six top 10 finishes in major championships and earning his first PGA Tour victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in August 2022.
But he had to withdraw from the following week’s event due to a back injury that has plagued him ever since, forcing him to compete in just 41 events after his breakthrough victory.
In April 2023, he underwent surgery to remove part of a herniated disc that was pressing on a spinal nerve, and last May he underwent surgery to treat two herniated discs in his back.
After May surgery, Zalatoris said he aimed to return in the fall, but speaking to Golf Digest on Thursday at the Simmons Bank Championship of PGA Tour Champions, Zalatoris said he was aiming for a 2026 return.
“I feel like the three-year nightmare of back pain is over,” Zalatoris told Golf Digest. “Finally I can be a 29-year-old kid and go to work. I’m getting a lot of advice this week on the PGA Tour Champions because there are a lot of guys with a lot of mileage on their bodies so I’m definitely taking some notes this week.”
Zalatoris did not seem discouraged by a delay in returning to play compared to his initial projection.
“I’m already back playing, working every day,” he said in the interview. “Trying to do at least 18 (every day). It’s been a lot of work, don’t get me wrong, but it’s the most positive feeling I’ve had in three years.”
–Field level media
