Injury-ridden Will Zalatoris to return at Tournament of Champions

Will Zalatoris is set to return to the Tour in January. After hurting his back during the BMW Championships in August, the World No. 7 was forced out of the Tour circuit for the rest of the year.

Zalatoris tried to play the following hole after getting a physiotherapist's treatment but the pain was so severe that he had to withdraw. It was later revealed that Zalatoris had two herniated disks in his back. As a result, he had to end his season prematurely.

Prior to an abrupt end to the season, Zalatoris was having quite a good season. He reached four playoffs but ended up as the runner-up in the first three events. Zalatoris finally won his first PGA Tour event at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in August this year.

Will Zalatoris was ranked third in the FedEx standings when he went injured and has now slipped down to the 30th position.

Zalatoris was scheduled to play in the Hero World Challenge last week but withdrew as he still had some doubts. However, the good news is that he is planning to return to the Sentry Tournament of Champions, which will take place in the first week of January at the Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii.

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Will Zalatoris 2022 season

Will Zalatoris reached four playoffs this season, settling with runner up position in first three of them

2022 was a breakthrough season for Will Zalatoris, who turned professional in 2018. The 26-year-old has reached four playoffs this year. He reached the playoffs at the Farmers Insurance Open, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and FedEx St. Jude Championship. His first final came in the Farmers Insurance Cup, where he lost to Luke List in the playoffs.

In May 2022, he found himself in a similar position again when veteran Justin Thomas edged him out in the playoffs of the PGA Championship at Southern Hills, Oklahoma. His third loss came in the US Open playoffs. This time it was Matt Fitzpatrick getting better off him. He was tied up with Scottie Scheffler for the runner-up position.

Zalatoris with the FedEx St. Jude Championship trophy, his first title on PGA Tour.

However, Will Zalatoris became fourth-time lucky when he reached his fourth playoff of the season at the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. He beat Austria's Sepp Straka to the win with a bogey on the third extra hole playoff.

After a good 2022, Zalatoris will be aiming for his first Major in 2023.

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Sentry Tournament of Champions: Updates and schedule

Cameroon Smith is the defending champion at the Sentry Tournament of Champions

The 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions will take place from January 4-8.

Since its inaugural edition in 1953, the event has taken place at Desert Inn Country Club in Las Vegas, Stardust Country Club in Las Vegas, and La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California. Since 1999, the event is being played at the Plantation Course on Kapalua, Maui island of Hawaii.

Australia's Cameron Smith is the reigning Champion on Maui. He scored 258(34 under par), defeating Spain's John Rahm by a margin of one stroke. Smith won the prize of $1,476,000. Jack Nicholas has won it the maximum times(5).