Will Zalatoris Hits High Point in His Comeback While Playing With a Heavy Heart

A tie for second at the Genesis is Zalatoris's best finish since returning from back surgery.

LOS ANGELES — A victory proved too much to ask for Will Zalatoris on Sunday but it would be difficult for him to leave Riviera Country Club feeling anything but good about what he has overcome and where he is going.

There’s no shame in falling short to Hideki Matsuyama, who blew past everyone to capture the Genesis Invitational, making six back-nine birdies to shoot 62 and win for the first time in more than two years.

But Zalatoris's tie for second was more meaningful to him than simply the golf accomplishment.

In postround remarks with reporters, Zalatoris, 27, had to compose himself several times as he disclosed a close family member died Thursday during the first round of the tournament.

Will Zalatoris lost a family member Thursday and said she was with him during a T2 week at Riviera :: Jason Parkhurst/USA TODAY Sports

The death, he said, was unexpected, and while he did not offer details, it was clear that it was weighing on him. "She was with me all week," is how he tried to explain.

From a golf standpoint, the Genesis could be viewed as a turning point for Zalatoris, who less than two years ago after finally achieving his first PGA Tour victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship went down the following week with a back injury that caused him to miss the rest of the year, including the Presidents Cup.

Rest and rehabilitation were prescribed, but on the morning of the first round of the 2023 Masters, Zalatoris had to withdraw. Two days later, he had a microdiscectomy—a procedure meant to alleviate disk issues in the lower back—and spent the rest of the rehabilitating.

"I was impatient from about April to December, there's no question about that," he said. "I'm definitely ahead of the curve in terms of the speed, where my game's at. It's just little things. And this is the beauty of this game is ... it's kind of nice when you get beat by somebody who shoots 62 on Sunday. 62 on Sunday is usually going to win a golf tournament or going to make you a lot of money.

“Hats off to Hideki, that is just stellar playing. Like I said, this is a place that I played since 2015, it was my first Tour start I ever played in, so I love it here. Played the U.S. Am here. It's a really special place."

Zalatoris, who shot 69, began the day two shots behind third-round leader Patrick Cantlay and for a time on the back nine was in a five-way tie for the lead.

But Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion who had dropped outside of the top 50 in the world, had two three-birdie stretches on the back nine to forge ahead. Zalatoris's bogey on the 15th hole ended his chances. He ended up tied for second with Luke List, three shots back.

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"Every week I've been getting better, so I knew I just got to keep doing what I'm doing," he said. “I've got a lot of silver in my house so getting another second place doesn't really sit that well, but obviously coming back from what I had to go through physically, we're in the right direction.

"This (tournament) is really good preparation for the majors coming up. It's nice to be able to work on these changes when I'm in contention, fully commit to what I'm doing. ... I'm headed in the right direction and week by week I've obviously been getting better, I'm getting more and more comfortable."

Zalatoris returned in December at the Hero World Challenge, where he finished 20th in the 20-player field. He then missed the cut at the Sony Open, followed by a tie for 34th the American Express and a tie for third at the Farmers Insurance Open.

On Friday, a day after the death of his family member, Zalatoris said he felt peace as he managed to make a hole in one on Riviera's 14th hole—which means a Genesis vehicle for both him and his caddie Joel Stock.

"It was pretty special to make that hole in one after I found out," he said. "She was with me all week. I’m very proud of how I played."