World No.8 Will Zalatoris Undergoes Surgery After Masters Withdrawal

The 26-year-old has announced he has had back surgery that will keep him out for the rest of the PGA Tour season

Will Zalatoris takes a shot during a practice round before the 2023 Masters
Will Zalatoris has had back surgery that will keep him out of action for several months
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Mike Hall
By Mike Hall
published

World No.8 Will Zalatoris withdrew from The Masters at the last minute due to injury and he has now confirmed that he has had back surgery that will keep him out for the remainder of the PGA Tour season.

After suffering two herniated discs in his back during last August’s BMW Championship, Zalatoris missed the rest of the year, including the Tour Championship and Presidents Cup. However, he had appeared to put those issues behind him with seven appearances in 2023.

Those hopes he had fully recovered were dashed after he withdrew from the Augusta National event, and, while the rain-soaked third round was taking place on Saturday, Zalatoris was undergoing the surgery. 

He has now released a statement explaining he is not expected to return to action until the fall. He said: “After careful consideration and seeking multiple medical opinions, I underwent a successful microdiscectomy on Saturday. As much as I hate not being able to play the rest of this season, I am happy that I’m already seeing the benefits of the procedure. Playing and living in pain is not fun. I look forward to making a full recovery and seeing everyone in the fall.”

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Missing the Masters would have come as a blow to the 26-year-old, but his extended absence will be even more frustrating considering that he been on course to make the US Ryder Cup team for September’s biennial tournament at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club. 

Not only that, but after finishing runner-up in two of last year’s Majors, the PGA Championship and US Open, Zalatoris would have been keen for more chances to claim his maiden Major title this year.

Zalatoris had shown signs of some encouraging form since returning after his previous lay-off, including a tie for 11th at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and a finish of fourth in another of the PGA Tour’s designated events, February’s Genesis Invitational. 

No doubt he will be hoping that the surgery, which helps relieve pain caused by a herniated disc pressing on a nerve, will see him finally put his injury problems behind him when he returns to action next season.

Mike Hall
Mike Hall
Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 


He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 


Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 


Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.

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