$19 Million PGA Tour Golfer Announces Concerning News on Monday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Dibyendu Mondal | Last updated May 26, 2025 12:51 PM ET

The Charles Schwab Challenge concluded on Sunday, with Ben Griffin lifting the trophy at 12-under par. The tournament featured top stars like Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth, but one star missing was Will Zalatoris.

Zalatoris withdrew early, giving way to Dylan Wu. He had previously also withdrawn from the Byron Nelson. Until now, we didn’t know the reason behind his withdrawals, but the $19 million golfer has provided an unfortunate update to clear things up.

"Hey everyone, sharing a health update. This spring, I started feeling some discomfort and instability in my back that progressively got worse. Following the PGA Championship, an MRI showed that I had re-herniated two discs." Zalatoris posted on Instagram.

He had a microdiscectomy done on his back in 2023, which sidelined him for eight months. It appears the issue has resurfaced.

"After discussing the options with my medical team, I underwent surgery this past Friday with Dr. Michael Duffy at the Texas Back Institute. I’m happy to say that I woke up feeling good and excited about my long-term back health." Zalatoris continued.

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A post shared by Will Zalatoris (@willzalatoris)

"Time to focus on my recovery and get back after it. Thank you to my team, friends, and family for being there for me throughout this journey. Looking forward to seeing everyone in the fall!!"

This is a major setback for the golfer. He is just 28 years old and having a recurring back problem at such an age is bound to cause chronic problems in the future. The golf community wishes him a speedy recovery.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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