Will Zalatoris watches a tee shot through the second spherical of the Nedbank Golf Problem on Friday in Solar Metropolis, South Africa.
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Will Zalatoris lastly had an offseason. And he cherished it.
The 28-year-old professional hasn’t technically had one since 2019, since he spent the 4 years prior both rehabbing his again or taking part in within the PGA Tour’s wraparound season.
Now, the previous few months — with out lingering again points and with no must play within the FedEx Cup Fall — he’s had an opportunity to really work on issues essential to him.
“It’s kinda good to have a 12 months the place versus rehabbing, I’m truly progressing,” Zalatoris mentioned.
And far of that development has come within the fitness center.
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Zalatoris is in South Africa this week, making his debut on the DP World Tour’s Nedbank Golf Problem. He tied for thirteenth on the BMW Championship in August — simply lacking out on the Tour Championship — and his solely begin since was a visit to Japan for the Zozo Championship in October. That’s only one begin in three months.
“I haven’t performed a lot however that was on goal,” Zalatoris informed the DP World Tour communications group on Wednesday. “I wished to be dwelling, have the ability to eat my 4,500 energy a day and 200 grams of protein and practice and get higher.”
Zalatoris mentioned this offseason was the toughest he’s ever labored. Lengthy recognized for his slight body, he’s now added 15 kilos of muscle during the last couple of months. He’s hoping it pays dividends, too.
He’s been one of many vivid younger stars on Tour since he joined within the 2020-21 season, a 12 months that was highlighted by his second-place end on the Masters. He now has 5 runner-up finishes to go together with his one Tour title (the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship), however he needed to take most of 2023 off after he withdrew from the Masters and elected for the identical again surgical procedure Tiger Woods had.
Zalatoris returned finally 12 months’s Hero World Problem — the identical occasion occurring within the Bahamas this week — and confirmed apparent rust, taking pictures rounds of 81, 68, 79 and 71 as he labored by swing and tools modifications (he additionally switched to an extended putter to assist alleviate strain on his again).
He discovered some success early in 2024, tying for 2nd on the Genesis Invitational and tying for 4th on the Arnold Palmer Invite, however he later withdrew from the Rocket Mortgage Traditional and missed his subsequent three cuts. He rebounded for the FedEx Cup Playoffs (T12 and T13) and obtained himself into each Signature Occasion for 2025. It was a promising end to a irritating 12 months and a half.
Final 12 months, he was 77th in driving distance at 302.5 yards (he ranked thirteenth two years earlier), however together with his new bulk and pace, he’s hoping that may enhance as nicely.
