Will Zalatoris, one of the most talented Americans and one of the favorites for major championships in recent years, is gearing up for a big return in 2026. Will Zalatoris provided an update on his back injury on-site at this week’s Simmons Bank Championship in Little Rock, Arkansas on the PGA Tour Champions.
“We’re looking forward to 2026,” Zalatoris said. “I had hip surgery about four months ago. I’m already back playing. I’m practicing every day, playing golf every day, trying to get at least 18 (holes) in. It’s been a long struggle, don’t get me wrong, but this is the most positive I’ve felt in three years.”
“I feel like my three-year nightmare of back pain is over. I’m finally 29 years old and able to go to work. I’ve been getting a lot of advice this week regarding the PGA Tour Champions. There are a lot of players with long bodies, so I’ll definitely be taking notes this week.”
Zalatoris has not played in a competitive event since the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club. After missing the cut, the PGA Tour winner revealed he was experiencing discomfort and instability in his back, ultimately requiring surgery for two recurrent discs.
The step was the latest hurdle Zalatoris has had to overcome since his breakthrough victory at the 2022 St. Jude Championship. After winning the first leg of the 2022 FedEx Cup Playoffs, Zalatoris was forced to miss the following week’s BMW Championship due to a hip injury. After that, he was unable to tee up at the Tour Championship, where he entered third in the FedEx Cup rankings, and revealed that he had two herniated discs in his back.
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Zalatoris returned to competitive golf in early 2023, but it was short-lived. He withdrew minutes before tee time for the first round at the Masters. That weekend, I underwent a microscopic discectomy. The next season brought hope as Zalatoris played a full schedule, finishing runner-up at the Genesis Invitational and finishing in the top 10 at the Masters.
He qualified for the BMW Championship and competed in several events in the fall before moving on to the 2025 season, which was ultimately canceled after his second major championship that year.
The 29-year-old has had a rocky start to his major championship career from 2020 to 2022, finishing inside the top 10 in six of his nine starts. That finish included several close calls, including a runner-up to Hideki Matsuyama at the 2021 Masters, a playoff loss to Justin Thomas at the 2022 PGA Championship, and a one-shot loss to Matt Fitzpatrick at the 2022 U.S. Championship. open.
But since then, Zalatoris’ game and results have taken a hit in tandem with his health. He has failed to qualify for the last four majors and is out of action in 2025 with just one top-10 finish.
He will compete in the DP World Tour’s Nedbank Golf Challenge from December 4 to 7, where he finished 18th a season ago, and will aim to get back on the horse at the end of the year.
