The challenges keep piling up for Will Zalatoris, who is now expected to miss the entire 2027 PGA Tour season. During a media event for next month’s Austin Championship, the 30-year-old shared both some good and some not-so-great news. However, it’s the bad news that naturally grabs attention.
While Zalatoris confirmed he plans to participate in the tournament starting on November 12, he also revealed that he is scheduled for spinal-fusion surgery later that month. “I’ve been through four years of hell, so it’s good to have something that will hopefully correct it,” he mentioned, as reported by Golf Channel. “It’s not something you want to do, but when you have three Tour physical therapists tell you it needs to be done at some time, you go ahead and do it.”
Zalatoris added a light-hearted note, joking that he’s “the oldest 30-year-old you will ever meet.” There’s definitely some truth to that—this upcoming surgery will be his third back operation since 2023.
Once regarded as a rising star, the former PGA Tour Rookie of the Year was on a roll in late 2022, climbing to No. 7 in the world. He had impressive performances, finishing as runner-up in both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open that year, and he also placed second in the 2021 Masters, just one shot behind Hideki Matsuyama.
However, looking back, it’s clear that Zalatoris hasn’t played a full season since 2024 when he made 22 starts. Over the last two years, he has only been able to compete in 15 tournaments, including a mere four in 2026. His last appearance was in April, where he finished tied for 67th at the Valero Texas Open, just before the Masters.
Due to his extensive surgeries and prolonged recovery periods, Zalatoris has slipped outside of the Top 600 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He remains optimistic about returning to action at full capacity in 2028, though he may find himself beginning on the Tour’s new Challenger Series, which will be the secondary tier of the revamped PGA Tour.
