Will Zalatoris’s return to the golfing realm after struggling with a back injury and subsequent microdiscectomy on two herniated discs for 8 months seems to be a short-lived one. Despite struggling to deliver some top-10 performances as well as a T2 finish at the Genesis Invitational, his health seems to have forced him out of the upcoming CJ CUP Bryson Nelson. His WD from the upcoming event has put Nick Watney in the field as a replacement.

Zalatoris’s eyes have longed for the Nelson Cup for some time now. However, the importance of the initial six months in his healing and an unfortunate flare-up during one of his favorite weeks have necessitated a halt from professional golf and from his fulfilling his dream to lift Mr. Nelson’s trophy.

Talking about his current health status, he said on his Instagram, “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.”

The 27-year-old debuted at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson in 2016, while still being a college student. He has made four appearances at this event overall, with a T17 in 2021 and three missed cuts.

Talking about his injury-related struggles, Zalatoris once said, “Kind of a golfer’s worst nightmare is feeling your back giving out on the driving range at Augusta 30 minutes before your tee time.” It seems that his “worst nightmare” has made a sorry comeback, and is impacting his game.

While the 27-year-old gracefully took the golf world’s leave, he made sure to promise his hometown fans a speedy return and a hopeful shot at his dream Nelson trophy in 2025. However, not all fans seemed to be satisfied with his reasoning citing the after-effects on the event’s field. So what did the fans exactly have to say?

Fans react to Will Zalatoris’s unexpected WD

One fan wrote, “Woof, I’ve seen alternate events with better fields than this.” Pointing out the absence of many big names from the field, the fan compared it to the four alternate events offered by the Tour for “unproven and up-and-coming players.” In this comparison, they opined that such an alternate event boasts more renowned players than the 2024 CJ CUP Bryon Nelson would after Zalatoris’s withdrawal.

Another fan was quick to point out, “So sad what has become of this once great event. Mr Nelson would be very disappointed,” again citing the unavailability of big names. The field has seen a significant reduction and is less popular in nature now. One of the top names competing in the tournament is Jordan Spieth.

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A rather concerned fan said, “Hopefully not hurt…” Given the golfer’s injury history, and then his troublesome recovery, a fan was concerned, and rightfully so! Will Zalatoris has had a hard time with his surgery and recovery and was away from the greens since January 2023. He returned to the official competition this year at the Sony Open.

A heartbroken fan remarked, “Oof I bet he was the most bet player this weekend too,” highlighting how the Wake Forest University grad’s absence would also cost some fans big bucks. This is because his past three top-10 finishes, including one runner-up finish at the Genesis Invitational, make him a strong force to be reckoned with, thus inviting more bets to his name.

It remains to be seen when Zalatoris will be fit again to play professionally anytime soon! However, his undying spirit surely adds motivation to his temporary goodbye.