Will Zalatoris

Will Zalatoris

28-Year-Old Golfer
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Out
Injury Undisclosed
Est. Return 5/8/2025
2025 Fantasy Outlook
After an injury-riddled last few years, Zalatoris was hoping for a bounce back campaign in 2024. Things got off to a great start with a T2 at the Genesis Invitational and a T4 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational before a T9 showing at the Masters. Unfortunately he would then go 11 straight starts without a finish better than T41. Zalatoris would close the season with a pair of top-15s in the first two playoff events, however. The 28-year-old ranked 108th in SG: Total last season, including 138th in SG: Around-the-Green and 132nd in SG: Putting. Those were two areas he's always struggled with, but the ball-striking was also nowhere close to where it was in his prime. Zalatoris has one of the biggest gaps between his ceiling and his floor in 2025 as any player on the PGA Tour. Hopefully he can stay healthy and get back to being a top-tier ball-striker. Read Past Outlooks
WD's from THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson
Undisclosed
April 30, 2025
Zalatoris has withdrawn from THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson, PGA Tour Communications reports.
ANALYSIS
No reason was given, but you just hope it's not related to the back, which has given Zalatoris issues for the last couple years. The Dallas native will unfortunately have to miss his hometown event. He last played a couple weeks ago at the RBC Heritage. Zalatoris will be hoping to return for the signature event next week at the Truist Championship. James Hahn will take his spot in the field at the Byron Nelson this week.
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Will Zalatoris See More
2025 THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson Betting: Picks, Odds, Predictions and Best Bets
Yesterday
The best bets and values for THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch, including why Ryan Pohle is locking in on Mackenzie Hughes at the betting window this week.
Weekly PGA Preview: THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson
2 days ago
Taylor Pendrith is the defending champion of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson, and Greg Vara thinks he will once again be one of the top contenders across multiple different formats this year.
DraftKings PGA DFS Picks: THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson Cash and GPP Strategy
2 days ago
Jake Knapp has a few things working in his favor this week, and Len Hochberg likes his chances to make an impact in the latest PGA DFS contests on DraftKings.
2025 Masters Betting: Picks, Odds, Predictions and Best Bets
23 days ago
The best bets and picks for The Masters at Augusta National, including why Ryan Pohle has his eyes set on Hideki Matsuyama to score a strong finish at a venue he's had a lot of success on.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2023
2022
2020
Zalatoris' season came to an abrupt end as he withdrew before The Masters and subsequently underwent back surgery to conclude his year. That leaves him with question marks heading into next year regarding potential swing changes and how long it will take him to return to form. Prior to his back injury, he was playing like a top-10 player in the world, winning the first playoff event in 2022 and finishing runner-up in two majors. When healthy, he's proven himself to be one of the best ball-strikers in the world. There may be some initial struggles, but don't be surprised to see Zalatoris return to his previous form by the spring.
It was both an incredible year, and a year of what if for Zalatoris. He collected 11 top-15 finishes, but also lost in a playoff at the Torrey Pines and the PGA Championship. He also was just beaten out by one at the U.S. Open by Matt Fitzpatrick. Zalatoris was able to silence the questions by notching his first win in the playoff opener, but tweaked his back the very next week where it was revealed he had two herniated disks and had to take a 30th place finish in the final FedExCup standings. Back injuries can be career killers for golfers, so there are certainly a lot of questions going into next season to see how he bounces back. Zalatoris is definitely one of the more risky golfers in the top-10 because of the injury concern, but he's currently the best ball-striker on Tour and has World No. 1 upside.
Zalatoris earned Special Temporary Membership on the PGA Tour rather quickly after winning the Korn Ferry Tour's TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes in July of 2020, though he remained ineligible for the FedExCup Playoffs without having also notched a victory at the PGA level. In addition to eight top-10s and 14 total top-25s through 25 starts on the PGA Tour in 2020-21, Zalatoris' exceptional rookie campaign will be remembered for his runner-up effort at the 2021 Masters during his Augusta National debut. Zalatoris ultimately ranked seventh on tour in SG: approach, ninth in SG: tee-to-green and 11th in par-5 scoring. The sky is the limit for the 25-year-old Wake Forest product if the putter begins to cooperate on a more consistent basis.
The leader on the Korn Ferry Tour's points list has risen to a career-best 143rd in the Official World Golf Ranking thanks in part to nine top-10s in 15 starts on the KFT during the 2020 season, which included a win at the TPC Colorado Championship in early July. Zalatoris, a 24-year-old Wake Forest product, led the KFT in GIR percentage along the way while also ranking seventh in birdie average, fourth in total driving and first in total eagles. This combination indicates quite a bit of future fantasy upside if he's able to translate such quality ball-striking to the big-league venues.
More Fantasy News
Season-high SG: Putting at Sawgrass
March 18, 2025
Zalatoris carded a one-under 71 on Sunday at THE PLAYERS Championship to finish three-under and tied for 30th.
ANALYSIS
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Struggles on greens at API
March 11, 2025
Zalatoris fired a three-under 69 on Sunday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational to finish even-par and tied for 22nd.
ANALYSIS
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Third in SG: ARG at Torrey Pines
February 19, 2025
Zalatoris fired a four-under 68 on Sunday at The Genesis Invitational to finish two-under and tied for 24th.
ANALYSIS
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Teeing it up in Signature Event
January 27, 2025
Zalatoris (undisclosed) is listed in the field for this week's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
ANALYSIS
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WDs from Farmers Insurance Open
Undisclosed
January 22, 2025
Zalatoris (undisclosed) has withdrawn ahead of the current round of the Farmers Insurance Open, PGA Tour Communications reports.
ANALYSIS
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