"He’s on the Tiger Woods path" - Fans react to Will Zalatoris announcing he underwent back surgery

Will Zalatoris recently updated his fans about his back issues. Zalatoris issued a statement sharing that he has been experiencing back problems since the spring of this year.

To address these difficulties, he had surgery last Friday (May 23) for two herniated discs. The golfer is now planning to return in the fall, which means he will most likely miss the Ryder Cup.

NUCLR Golf, an X (formerly Twitter) page, shared the news about Will Zalatoris' back issue and published his issued statement. Here's what the golfer said:

"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. 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. 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!!"

Expand Tweet

Fans under this X post expressed concern for Will Zalatoris, even comparing his injury woes to Tiger Woods. One fan claimed that, just like Woods had back surgery and suffered a setback in his playing, Zalatoris is now experiencing similar issues. The fan's comment read:

"Oh god he’s on the Tiger path without all the wins."

Expand Tweet

Apart from that, here are some more comments under the post.

"Geez another surgery??? He is never playing," one fan stated.

"His career started off so good and then his back gave out……," another fan wrote.

"Poor guy won’t be able to walk by 50," another fan wrote.

"He’s cooked," one fan wrote.

How has Will Zalatoris' 2025 season progressed so far?

2025 PGA Championship - Round Two - Source: Getty

Will Zalatoris was seeking consistent performances at the start of the 2025 season. He had been finishing in the top 20 and achieving good results. Unfortunately, because to his back troubles, his play may have deteriorated over time, resulting in him missing cuts at some events.

Here's a look at Will Zalatoris' complete season thus far:

The Sentry – T26 – 273 (-19) – $163,333
The American Express – T12 – 271 (-17) – $169,400
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am – T48 – 281 (-7) – $48,600
The Genesis Invitational – T24 – 286 (-2) – $164,857
Arnold Palmer Invitational – T22 – 288 (E) – $178,111
THE PLAYERS Championship – T30 – 285 (-3) – $163,750
Valspar Championship – T47 – 285 (+1) – $23,701
Masters Tournament – Missed Cut – 152 (+8) – --
RBC Heritage – T54 – 281 (-3) – $44,500
Truist Championship – T54 – 280 (E) – $44,750
PGA Championship – Missed Cut – 148 (+6) – --

About the author

Anurag Bhardwaj is a Golf Journalist at Sportskeeda. With over three years of experience writing about various sports, Anurag has drawn inspiration from numerous icons, ranging from WWE’s Roman Reigns to NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes. His passion for storytelling spans across different sports, all while pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Dental Surgery, and he hopes to continue blending both his professions.

A single spark ignited his love for golf, and now he follows the sport with unwavering enthusiasm. Whether it’s the Masters or the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Anurag is always ready for a deep dive into the action. Through his writing, he brings the latest happenings from the golf world straight to the fans' screens. And while he dreams of stepping onto a golf course someday, he remains in awe of Scottie Scheffler’s precision, all while striving to become a great doctor.

Know More

Edited by Tushar Bahl