“Just shows you life’s short and appreciate the moments,” Zalatoris said. “How lucky I am to be out here.”
This week, at the mega-money Signature Event, Zalatoris was in the field via another invite from Woods, because the new PGA Tour does not wait for microdiscectomies. Only the top 50 players from 2023 have guaranteed their way into all of the biggest events. Zalatoris’ time on the sideline means he’ll need to continue playing well to enter Signature Events on this road back. Or continue depending on invites. His opening 66 was a welcomed sight, the best round of his post-surgery life. He blitzed the front nine in a six-birdie 29, immediately validating his exemption.
Later that night he found out he had lost a family member.
The next morning came quick. A 7:32 a.m. tee time and, a couple hours later, the ace. Afterward a reporter acknowledged that his caddie’s new car was actually worth more than the one he was getting. Might they need to swap?
“No, he can have it. Absolutely he can have it.”
Wisit is painful week ended in heavy emotions and important reminders Pacific Palisades khif when wilus made a hole in one Friday at the Genesis Invitational it got plenty of attention just as the tournament sponsor prefers when zelis ball dropped into the cup at Riviera’s 14th hole he stepped
Into his Caddy’s arms he had won an SUV and maybe more importantly he won his caddy an electric sedan they did a jolly press conference together afterward life was good but when the tournament ended and zilis thought about that moment again Sunday afternoon his mind was in a
Much different place a simple idea had been posed to him given all you’ve been through injury-wise and that you finished second this week what are your emotions right now yeah um he began pretty excited with where my game’s headed you know I didn’t say anything
All week but I uh he took a deep breath and began rubbing the back of his neck sorry he said another deep breath his eyes started to water after a full 25 seconds of Silence he readed to speak again I lost a family member on Thursday she was another 14-second pause Z is
Talked into a camera and on the opposite side of a metal fence from the Press you wanted to reach out and hug him so she was with me all week it was a pretty special on Friday to make the whole in one he cleared his throat and apologized
Again another 10-second pause it was pretty special to make the hole in one on Friday after I found out on Thursday she was with me all week no matter how much pro golfers appear on television no matter how many decisions they make for millions of dollars no matter how you
And relatable their lives can seem you never know exactly what’s going on in the background this press conference on the heels of zeleris T2 finish was her undeniable reminder it was never a guarantee zelus would even play in this event 10 months ago the 27-year-old underwent a very rare 57-year-old
Surgery a micro disectomy to alleviate pain from a herniated disc in his back it forced him to pull out of the 2023 Masters 30 minutes before his opening tea time what his doctors told him eliminated most of his 2023 period he couldn’t make full swings for months he was the number eight
Player in the world but medically forced into pausing his career without a clear timeline at first he hoped to return in September he did a lot of reading a lot of Netflix watching and began finishing his psychology ology degree from Wake Forest when his body wasn’t ready for
September He adjusted his timeline to October he did a bit of travel attended Wimbledon in July and refocused on an even later return only once he received a sponsor’s invite to the Hero World Challenge in late November did he finally find himself back in a leite competition all thanks to said invite
Coming from Tiger Woods a man with his own slate of back issues this week at the Mega Money signature event zilis was in the field via another invite from Woods because the new PGA does not wait for micro disectomy only the top 50 players from 2023 have guaranteed their
Way into all of the biggest events zil’s time on the sideline means he’ll need to continue playing well to enter Signature Events on this road back or continue depending on invites his opening 66 was a welcomed site the best round of his postsurgery life he blitzed the front N9
In a 6 birdy 29 immediately validating his exemption later that night he found out he had lost a family member the next morning came quick a 7:32 a.m. T time and a couple hours later the ace afterward a reporter acknowledged that his Caddy’s new car was actually worth
More than the one he was getting might they need to swap no he can have it absolutely he can have it on Saturday zilus did 65 a new best round of his postsurgery life he entered the final day two shots back of the lead one group
Ahead of the leaders and by the time he reached the 14th T box he was alone in the lead really he had been encroaching on that top spot for days and finally it was his with just five holes to play he’d play them in four pars and a boogie
One over over the last five won’t get it done at Riviera but it helped the sting that the winner ran away from zelis and the rest of the the field and this is the beauty of this game as he said 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 hikey that is just Stella playing Z was extremely right with that adjective Stella he was also right about 62s on Sunday Sundays are when the
Accolades get passed out Luke lists $1.8 million for sharing second place Matt swimmer’s ninth career win making him the winningest player from Asia in tour history the second biggest paycheck of Chase Johnson’s life he was this week’s Charlie cord exemption zilus earned a bunch two a boatload of world ranking
Points up to 32nd from 54th another boatload of FedEx Cup points the currency that will earn him into events next year no invites needed he earned a feeling of the commitment he wants to feel as the major championship season comes into Focus there was another feeling too pride in how he
Handled himself when his round was over he shared an Embrace with his wife Caitlyn like he has done many times this one had to feel different next came that heartbreaking discussion with the press his coach Josh Gregory watched on with tears in his eyes just shows you life’s
Short and appreciate the moments theit is said how lucky I am to be out here
