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Sports · October 14, 2026

Will Zalatoris to return for Austin event, then will miss all of 2027 after back surgery

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PGA Tour professional Will Zalatoris announced he will undergo spinal-fusion surgery in November 2026, forcing him to miss the entire 2027 season. Speaking at a media day for the Austin Championship, the 30-year-old revealed that despite the upcoming procedure, he still intends to compete in the Austin event starting November 12. This will be his third major back surgery since 2023, following previous microdiscectomy and disc replacement procedures. Zalatoris, once ranked as high as No. 7 in the world with multiple runner-up finishes in majors, has struggled with injuries for years, completing only four starts in 2026. He expressed hope to return to professional golf in 2028 via the PGA Tour's Challenger Series.

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Reported by multiple outlets

  • Will Zalatoris will miss the full 2027 PGA Tour season.
  • Zalatoris is scheduled for spinal-fusion surgery in November 2026.
  • He plans to play in the Austin Championship starting November 12 before his surgery.
  • The surgery will be his third back procedure since 2023.
  • He has only made four starts during the 2026 PGA Tour season.
  • Zalatoris had runner-up finishes at the 2021 Masters, 2022 PGA Championship, and 2022 U.S. Open.

Reported by only some outlets

  • Zalatoris fell outside the Top 600 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
  • He dealt with a torn labrum for much of 2026.
  • His previous back surgeries included a microdiscectomy in 2023 and a disc replacement in 2025.
  • He won his first PGA Tour event at the 2022 St. Jude Championship.

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