History of Will Zalatoris in Timeline
William Patrick Zalatoris is an American professional golfer known for his career on the PGA Tour. He secured his first PGA Tour victory at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship. Notably, he has achieved three runner-up finishes in major championships, highlighting his strong performance in high-stakes tournaments.
2 hours ago : Will Zalatoris Withdraws from Cognizant Classic Due to Back Issues, Seeks Pain Relief
Will Zalatoris withdrew from the Cognizant Classic due to ongoing back issues. He had previously described his back as feeling like a Jenga tower. He is now focused on recovery and pain management.
1964: Met Ken Venturi
In 1964, Will Zalatoris met 1964 U.S. Open champion Ken Venturi at the California Golf Club when he was six years old. Venturi offered advice on his grip.
August 16, 1996: William Zalatoris Born
On August 16, 1996, William Patrick Zalatoris was born. He is an American professional golfer known for his performances on the PGA Tour.
2001: First special temporary member wins award
In 2021, Will Zalatoris became the first special temporary member to win the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year since Charles Howell III in 2001
June 2014: Won the Texas Amateur Championship
In June 2014, Will Zalatoris won the Texas Amateur Championship, marking a significant achievement in his amateur career.
October 2014: Won first collegiate title
In October 2014, Will Zalatoris won his first individual collegiate title at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate. He scored 10-under to finish two strokes ahead of runner-up Denny McCarthy.
September 2015: Won second collegiate title
In September 2015, Will Zalatoris secured his second collegiate title by birdying the final hole at the Rod Myers Invitational, winning by one stroke.
July 2016: Won Trans-Mississippi Amateur
In July 2016, Will Zalatoris won the Trans-Mississippi Amateur for the second time, along with the Pacific Coast Amateur, adding to his amateur achievements.
March 2017: Won General Hackler Championship
In March 2017, Will Zalatoris won medalist honors for the third time in his collegiate career at the General Hackler Championship.
December 2017: Turned Professional
In December 2017, Will Zalatoris decided to forego his final semester of university and turned professional at the start of 2018, beginning his professional golf career.
2017: Named ACC Player of the Year
In 2017, Will Zalatoris was named ACC Player of the Year and received several other honors, including All-ACC, First-Team GCAA All-American, First-Team Golfweek All-American, Ben Hogan Award semifinalist, and Jack Nicklaus Award finalist. He also played in the Walker Cup. He turned professional after the year.
2018: First Starts on PGA Tour
In 2018, Will Zalatoris made six starts on the PGA Tour, making only one cut, and towards the end of the year, competed in qualifying school for the Web.com Tour but failed to advance past the first stage.
2019: Relying on Monday Qualifiers
In 2019, without status, Will Zalatoris relied on Monday qualifying and sponsor exemptions to play on the Web.com Tour and secured membership after a third-place finish at the LECOM Health Challenge in July.
July 2020: First Professional Victory
In July 2020, Will Zalatoris achieved his first professional victory at the TPC Colorado Championship by one stroke, marking a significant milestone in his career.
2020: Earned Korn Ferry Tour Status
In 2020, Will Zalatoris earned full status for the Korn Ferry Tour season after finishing the regular season 60th in points.
2020: Voted PGA Tour Rookie of the Year
In 2021, Will Zalatoris was voted PGA Tour Rookie of the Year for the 2020-21 season.
October 2021: Career-Low Round on PGA Tour
In October 2021, Will Zalatoris shot his career-low round (11-under 61) on the PGA Tour at the Sanderson Farms Championship.
2021: Top Finishes and Masters Debut
In 2021, Will Zalatoris recorded top-15 finishes at multiple events and qualified for the Masters Tournament, where he finished solo-second, one stroke behind Hideki Matsuyama.
2021: Back problems originated
In August 2022, Will Zalatoris stated that the back problems had originated at the 2021 Open Championship, when he attempted to hack the ball out of some thick fescue.
January 2022: Farmers Insurance Open Playoff Loss
In January 2022, Will Zalatoris was tied for the lead at the Farmers Insurance Open after 72 holes but lost in the sudden-death playoff to Luke List.
August 2022: First PGA Tour Win and Back Injury
In August 2022, Will Zalatoris won his first PGA Tour event at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He then withdrew from the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship due to a back injury diagnosed as two herniated discs.
2022: Runner-Up Finishes at Majors
In 2022, Will Zalatoris finished runner-up at both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open, marking two significant achievements in major championships.
2022: Remainder of the 2022-23 Season Missed
In 2023, Will Zalatoris announced he would miss the remainder of the 2022-23 season, because of his microdiscectomy.
January 2023: Return from Injury
In January 2023, Will Zalatoris returned from his disc herniation at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, finishing tied-11th.
2023: Masters Withdrawal and Back Surgery
In 2023, Will Zalatoris withdrew from the Masters Tournament due to a back injury and underwent a microdiscectomy, causing him to miss the remainder of the season. During his recovery, an effort was made to rework his swing.
May 2025: Second Back Surgery
In May 2025, Will Zalatoris underwent a second back surgery after an MRI showed that he had re-herniated two discs, leading to discomfort and instability in his back.
December 2025: Return to Competition
In December 2025, Will Zalatoris returned to competition at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa, finishing 15th after his second back surgery.
2025: Appearance in Happy Gilmore Sequel
In 2025, Will Zalatoris appeared in the sequel to the movie "Happy Gilmore" as a fictionalized version of himself.
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