Will Zalatoris to miss remainder of PGA Tour season after undergoing back surgery

PGA Tour winner and runner-up at the 2021 Masters tournament Will Zalatoris announced Monday that he will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing back surgery over the weekend. 

Zalatoris, 26, withdrew from the Masters on Thursday just before his first round appearance with a back injury. On Monday he confirmed that he would be cut short as he works towards “making a full recovery.” 

“After careful consideration and seeking multiple medical opinions, I underwent a successful microdiscectomy on Saturday,” Zalatoris wrote in a statement posted on Instagram. 

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“As much as I hate not being able to play the rest of this season, I am happy that I am already seeing the benefits of the procedure” 

He continued: “Playing and living in pain is not fun. I look forward to making a full recovery and seeing everyone in the fall.”

Zalatoris picked up his first win on the PGA Tour in August after winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship, but just a week later he suffered two herniated discs. 

Since returning this season, he’s had just one top 10 performance. 

Zalatoris was runner-up at the 2021 Masters and finished second at the 2022 PGA Championship and tied for second at the U.S. Open. His best finish at the British Open was top 30 last season.