Why did Will Zalatoris WD from CJ Cup Byron Nelson? All you need to know
Will Zalatoris announced on Tuesday, April 30, his withdrawal from the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson. The player took it upon himself to inform his fans of the reasons for this decision on Instagram.
Will Zalatoris' withdrawal from the event that starts on Thursday at TPC Craig Ranch is due to medical precautions. Zalatoris explained that his back needs some “rest & recovery.”
"I am frustrated to miss a tournament I've enjoyed going to since I was nine years old," Will Zalatoris posted on his Instagram Stories. "The Nelson and the Salesmanship Club have been so great to me my entire playing career and I hope to win Mr. Nelson’s trophy someday."
"My back needs some rest and recovery. I am ahead of schedule according to my doctors but unfortunately the first six months back are the most important for the long term health of my back. I need to be prudent to make sure I don't miss a big chunk of time again."
Will Zalatoris suffered a back injury towards the end of the 2022 season but played through the pain until he had to withdraw from The Masters in 2023. The situation was so serious that he had to undergo surgery in less than 48 hours.
Will Zalatoris went through a long recovery process that lasted until the end of the year. Although doctors cleared him to play during the FedEx Cup Fall, Zalatoris decided to prolong his recovery and did not return until the Hero World Challenge in December.
Will Zalatoris' 2024 season at a glance
Will Zalatoris has put in quite a bit of work during 2024 and with good results as he has managed to stay well-ranked in the world (30th) and in the FedEx Cup (16th).
Zalatoris has played 10 events during 2024 with seven cuts made. His best results include three Top 10s and another Top 15.
The highlight of Zalatoris' season so far came at The Genesis Invitational where he finished T2. Zalatoris played at Riviera thanks to a sponsor's exemption and made the most of it, as he was always in contention and only a great performance by Hideki Matsuyama could defeat him.
A week later, Zalatoris finished T4 in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, confirming his return to form. Then came two discreet results as he was cut at The Players Championship and finished T74 at the Houston Open.
Zalatoris had an excellent performance at The Masters finishing T9, which represented his third Top 10 in three starts at Augusta National Golf Club. In 10 Major appearances, the Texan has accumulated seven Top 10s.
In the last two weeks, Zalatoris finished T44 at the RBC Heritage and was cut at the Zurich Classic. It is likely that he has decided to rest in order to be ready for the Wells Fargo Championship, the sixth Signature Event of the season.