Bold statement: Will Zalatoris’s career hangs in the balance, but there’s a real path to a comeback if the pieces finally align. And this is where the story gets nuanced... Will Zalatoris burst onto the scene a few years ago as a rising star in golf—winning a FedEx Cup playoff event, finishing runner-up at the 2021 Masters, and reaching as high as No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
From the 2020 U.S. Open through the 2024 Masters, Zalatoris resembled a Diet Brooks Koepka in majors—consistently elevating his game when the spotlight was brightest. Although a major title still eluded him during that stretch, he logged seven top-10 finishes, including three runners-up. He came painfully close in 2022, losing in a playoff at the PGA Championship and nearly forcing a playoff at the U.S. Open that year.
All signs pointed to a lasting presence at the sport’s pinnacle—contending for majors, contributing to American team events, and anchoring a PGA Tour career for years to come.
Yet in golf, there are no guarantees.
Injuries have proven a relentless adversary over the past few years, undermining his form and consistency.
The most recent setback involves a left ankle issue that caused him to withdraw before last week’s Cognizant Classic. The severity remains unclear, but Zalatoris’s history is dominated by back problems, which have often been the root cause of his struggles.
At just 29, Zalatoris has endured a rocky few years with his back problems.
- He withdrew from the 2022 BMW Championship, missing four months until the 2023 Sentry.
- He played sparingly in early 2023, then pulled out of the Masters and underwent a microdiscectomy in April.
- He returned eight months later at the Hero World Challenge.
- He logged a full 2024 season but only three top-10s, and a sharp drop in the Official World Golf Ranking.
- He withdrew from the 2025 PGA Championship and later had disc replacement surgery, missing eight more months. In 12 starts last year, his best finish was T12.
- Now a left ankle issue has surfaced on top of a past back saga.
As a result, Zalatoris has slipped outside the top 250 in the world rankings.
Is there hope for a rebound?
There are reasons for guarded optimism. After his most recent back surgery last spring, doctors advised near-total immobilization for eight weeks, a recovery path he said was easier than his first back surgery. He described the first operation as like removing broken pieces from a Jenga tower; this time, he felt like missing pieces had been replaced, and he even gained height—about three-quarters of an inch.
Zalatoris has expressed confidence that his back is no longer a major worry. In terms of swing, he is actively working to “un-torque” his back. In a recent appearance, he explained that he is reducing side-bend in his downswing and modeling his approach after players who have overcome back issues, such as Patrick Cantlay and Tiger Woods.
“I’m able to go week in, week out, and now it’s just about executing,” he said before Cognizant. “The best part is that three years of dealing with this are behind me—no more sciatica, no leg weakness.” He emphasized his commitment to strengthening routines and incremental improvement in the gym.
On the course, he showed promising signs with a solo 15th at the DP World Tour and a tie for 18th at The American Express in Palm Springs. He missed qualification for several marquee events (WM Phoenix Open, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Genesis Invitational), making Cognizant Classic his anticipated next start.
There is a glimmer of hope that Zalatoris can rebound—this time potentially not centered on his back but on regaining form and confidence. Still, the road remains uncertain, and the question lingers: can he reclaim his former stature?
Golf can be brutally unsparing.
I’ve admired Zalatoris since his Wake Forest days, when he burst onto the scene as a college standout and arrived on tour with a fearless temperament toward majors. His wiry frame likely contributed to the unique, sometimes controversial, swing and his visibility grew partly from a distinctive, yip-adjacent putting stroke.
For a player so young, his career has left deep physical and mental scar tissue. It’s hard to watch a talent with undeniable potential falter, especially when a healthy back would have given him a clean slate to rebuild his confidence.
“Having back surgery once is tough, but the mental toll after a second surgery is where it truly hurts,” Zalatoris acknowledged. It’s a sentiment many competitors share, highlighting the intangible battle beyond the physical.
The fans are rooting hard for a resurgence. An inspiring comeback would be one of the sport’s most compelling stories.
So: Is Zalatoris cooked, or can he mount a genuine comeback after all these injuries?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
Top Photo Caption: Will Zalatoris had to remake his swing after two back surgeries. (GETTY IMAGES/Jed Jacobsohn)
