Will Zalatoris has made a significant declaration ahead of the Wyndham Championship, stating he feels “awesome” and “100%” healthy for the first time in a long while. This is a stark contrast to this time last year when Zalatoris was recovering from a microdiscectomy on his back. He did not return to competition in December at the Hero World Challenge.
The Complete Recovery Journey of Will Zalatoris
Will Zalatoris’ recovery journey has been like a stock market graph, filled with ups and downs but generally trending upward. His surgeons prepared him for this, emphasizing that the first year of recovery would be a roller coaster.
Zalatoris experienced a bright start to the 2023 season, emerging as runner-up at Riviera and scoring T-4 position at Bay Hill. He secured ninth place in Augusta National after dropping out of last year’s Masters week midway. Unfortunately, his progress was derailed when he failed to attain any top-40 finishes from his final nine events and had to withdraw due to hip trouble during Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Reflecting on his season, Zalatoris acknowledged the challenges: “It’s a lot of ups and downs, and I think I was mentally prepared for it. It gave me the patience that I needed this first year. I don’t like being patient, I don’t like going out and not being in contention, but it’s also motivated me to get my body and golf game back to where they need to be.
Despite recent struggles, Will Zalatoris is set for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. He currently sits at No. 45 in points, ensuring his qualification for next season’s signature events.
Zalatoris is optimistic about his current form, saying, “Beforehand, I didn’t really know what 100% was, and now my speed with my longer clubs is back to what it was in 2022, which is huge for me. There’s a big advantage to that out here on Tour, really being over 180 ball speed.”
With his health back on track and his game showing promising signs, Will Zalatoris is poised to make a substantial impact at the Wyndham Championship.
