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Will Zalatoris withdraws from Tour Championship, will also not play in Presidents Cup

Patrick Smith

Will Zalatoris has withdrawn from the Tour Championship because of two herniated discs in his back, the PGA Tour announced Tuesday on Zalatoris' behalf. The statement also revealed that he will not be able to play for the United States in next month's Presidents Cup.

The news comes as a disappointing conclusion to a whirlwind three-week stretch where Zalatoris won  his first PGA Tour title in dramatic fashion at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in a three-hole playoff over Sepp Straka, played two days at the BMW Championship before  withdrawing early in the third round because of a back injury, and now, he’s out of the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup race altogether.

He had entered this week ranked third in FedEx Cup points, behind Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Cantlay. The Tour Championship field at East Lake will fall to 29 and the starting strokes for other players in the field will not be affected. Zalatoris will collect $500,000 for 30th, or last place, earnings.

Following the BMW Championship on Sunday, Zalatoris was announced as one of six automatic qualifiers for the Presidents Cup, held Sept. 22-25 at Quail Hollow in Charlotte. He was set to join Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler on his first International team competiton as a professional. The statement said he will not be well enough to play for U.S. captain Davis Love III's squad.

“After Will’s withdrawal from the BMW Championship on Saturday, his medical team determined that the source of his back pain is two herniated discs. Unfortunately, this means that Will is unable to play this week at the Tour Championship,” a statement read with a comment from Zalatoris' management team.

“He is also very disappointed that he will not have the opportunity to play in next month’s Presidents Cup, where he was hoping to play for Captain Love and represent the United States. Will would like to thank his fans, sponsors, the Tour, and his team for all of their support. He is fully focused on getting healthy and back onto the course as soon as he is able.”

Zalatoris, ranked No. 9 in the Official World Golf Ranking, played the first four holes of his third round at Wilmington Country Club last week in the BMW Championship and it was clear that he was in pain. He tweaked his lower back on the third hole, received treatment, but felt it was best to withdraw in hopes of trying to play in the Tour Championship.

Sadly for Zalatoris, that will not happen. His impressive season ends with nine top-10 finishes, runner-up finishes at the Farmers Insurance Open, PGA Championship and U.S. Open, his maiden PGA Tour victory two weeks ago at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and $9.4 million in earnings.

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Will Zalatoris withdraws from Tour Championship and will miss Presidents Cup due to back injury

After breaking through in memphis, the 26-year-old has battled a back injury.

Will Zalatoris has withdrawn from the 2022 Tour Championship due to the same back injury which forced him out of last week's BMW Championship. The diagnosis appears to be more severe than initially thought as the pain has been pinpointed to two herniated discs in his back and will also force Zalatoris to forgo the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Club in September.

"After Will's withdrawal from the BMW Championship on Saturday, his medical team determined that the source of his back pain is two herniated discs," Zalatoris' agent said in a statement. "Unfortunately, this means that Will is unable to play this week at the Tour Championship. He is also very disappointed that he will not have the opportunity to play in next month's Presidents Cup, where he was hoping to play for Captain Love and represent the United States. Will would like to thank his fans, sponsors, the Tour, and his team for all of their support. He is fully focused on getting healthy and back onto the course as soon as he is able."

Zalatoris was set to begin the Tour Championship at 7 under and three strokes behind leader Scottie Scheffler. After breaking through in dramatic fashion for his first career PGA Tour title at the St. Jude Championship, Zalatoris ascended to the top spot in the FedEx Cup standings before his back injury reared its ugly head in the third round of the BMW Championship.

As a result of his withdrawal from the Tour Championship, Zalatoris will be awarded the 30th-place prize money of $500,000 if all 29 players complete 72 holes at East Lake -- if someone else is to pull out, that will change. From the perspective of starting strokes, the rest of the field will not be affected and will remain the same.

Zalatoris narrowly missed out on earning an automatic qualifying spot for the United States Presidents Cup Team as he finished seventh in the team standings. It was all but certain that captain Davis Love III would use one of his six selections on the Wake Forest product and allow Zalatoris to experience his first team event as a professional.

Unfortunately for Zalatoris, this back injury will prove to be quite costly. With the top 10 finishers at the Tour Championship banking seven figures, not only will he miss out on a big payday, but more meaningfully it also means he will not be able to compete alongside his fellow countrymen in Charlotte.

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Will Zalatoris Withdraws from Tour Championship, Will Also Miss Presidents Cup

• Author: Bob Harig

ATLANTA – Will Zalatoris, who won the first FedEx Cup playoff event two weeks ago, withdrew from the Tour Championship on Tuesday, citing the back injury that knocked him out of the BMW Championship during the third round.

The injury will also prevent him from playing in next month’s Presidents Cup in Charlotte.

Despite having to withdraw last week, Zalatoris entered this week’s Tour Championship third in the standings, but unless someone else withdraws, he will fall to 30th place and earn $500,000 from the bonus pool.

“His medical team determined that the source of his back pain is two herniated disks,’’ said Allen Hobbs, Zalatoris’ agent. “Unfortunately, this means that Will is unable to play this week at the Tour Championship. He is also very disappointed that he will not have the opportunity to play in next month’s Presidents Cup.

“He is fully focused on getting health and back onto the course as soon as he is able.’’

Zalatoris will not be replaced in the Tour Championship field and the starting strokes for each of the players will not be altered. The tournament begins Thursday and Scottie Scheffler leads at 10 under par. Patrick Cantlay , the winner last week at the BMW Championship, will begin in second place at 8 under par.

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Zalatoris withdraws from Tour Championship with injury, to miss Presidents Cup

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Will Zalatoris gets 1st PGA Tour win in playoff at Memphis

Will Zalatoris holds the trophy after winning the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Will Zalatoris celebrates after defeating Sepp Straka, of Austria, in a playoff in the final round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Will Zalatoris kisses the trophy after winning the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Will Zalatoris, left, looks at his tee shot on the 11th green during a playoff in the final round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Will Zalatoris celebrates after making a putt on the 18th green during the final round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Sepp Straka, of Austria, gets ready to hit off the sixth tee during the final round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Sepp Straka, of Austria, hits off the sixth tee during the final round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Sepp Straka, of Austria, hits out of a bunker on the 11th green during a playoff in the final round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Will Zalatoris looks at his tee shot lie on the 11th green during a playoff in the final round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Lucas Glover, right, talks with his caddie before putting on the 18th green during the final round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Adam Scott, of Australia, watches his shot off the sixth tee during the third round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

Cameron Smith, of Australia, watches his putt on the fifth green during the final round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Sepp Straka, of Austria, reacts as he misses a birdie putt on the 18th green during the final round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Will Zalatoris, right, greets Sepp Straka, of Austria, after defeating Straka in a playoff in the final round of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The 10-foot par putt in regulation was so crucial and the moment so important that Will Zalatoris doesn’t remember screaming out when he made it, “What are they gonna say now?”

It took three playoff holes to get the answer Sunday in the FedEx St. Jude Championship, and it was more along the lines of what they won’t say.

Zalatoris is no longer the best on the PGA Tour without a victory.

Already a force in the majors, Zalatoris got that first win out of the way with clutch putts and smart decisions to beat Sepp Straka and capture the first FedEx Cup playoffs event.

“It’s hard to say, ‘About time,’ when it’s your second year on tour, but it’s about time,” Zalatoris said. “Considering all those close finishes, it means a lot.”

He could have been referring to his runner-up to Hideki Matsuyama in the Masters last year, playoff losses at Torrey Pines and at Southern Hills in the PGA Championship, and most recently the putt that burned the edge of the cup that kept him from a U.S. Open playoff.

This one could have gone either way, a playoff that featured three penalty drops in three holes, neither player making birdie and Zalatoris winning on the par-3 11th with a bogey.

He looked to be in trouble from a fairway bunker on the 18th in regulation until Zalatoris made that 10-footer for par at a 4-under 66. He was in the trees, close to a boundary fence on the 18th on the second playoff hole when he wisely chipped out and made a 15-foot par putt.

Nothing was more wild than the final hole.

His tee shot hit the bank and then bounced seven times on the rocks before coming to rest. Straka followed with a shot that hit the bank, took one bounce off the rocks and went into the water. A huge break for Zalatoris? Not really. He had no realistic shot.

Straka went to the drop zone and his wedge went into the back bunker. He played his fourth shot out to 4 feet as Zalatoris was still going over his options.

“Considering where Sepp was and he had 4 feet for 5, there’s no reason for me to try that shot and make it bank right into the grass and go back in the water and all of a sudden I’ve lost the golf tournament,” Zalatoris said.

He went to the drop zone, hit to 7 feet and let his raised hands drop over his head in relief when he made the winning putt.

Zalatoris moves into the top 10 in the world for the first time and takes the No. 1 spot in the FedEx Cup, assuring him a reasonable shot at the $18 million prize in two weeks.

Straka, already a winner this year in the Honda Classic, narrowly missed a 20-foot birdie putt for the win on the 18th for a 67. He had a 25-foot putt for the win on the 18th on the first playoff hole and had to make a 7-footer the second time around to stay in the game.

“This course is where every shot you hit you’re on the edge of your seat,” Straka said. “Add the nerves of competing for a tournament to that, especially for a playoff event and yeah, it can get a little crazy.”

They finished at 15-under 265.

Straka, who played bogey-free over the final 13 holes in regulation, moves to No. 8 in the standings and is assured his first trip to the Tour Championship at East Lake.

Lucas Glover came away with a consolation prize. The former U.S. Open champion came into the FedEx Cup playoffs at No. 121, knowing that only the top 70 advance to the next tournament.

Glover closed with a 66 and wound up in a tie for third. Not only was he among four players who moved into the top 70, he now is at No. 34 and has a good chance of being part of the top 30 who go to the Tour Championship to play for the $18 million first prize.

Also moving into the top 70 were Adam Scott, Andrew Putnam and Wyndham Clark, who had reason to think he had thrown away his chances when he played a four-hole stretch in 4-over par and had to save par on the 18th for a 72. He finished at No. 70 by three points.

Meanwhile, No. 1 in the world stays with Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, who missed the cut and spent Sunday playing Pine Valley for the first time.

British Open champion Cameron Smith could have replaced him by winning, and he arrived at the TPC Southwind two shots out of the lead. And then he was four shots back without hitting a shot. Smith was given a two-shot penalty when rules officials realized upon review that when Smith took a penalty drop in the third round, the ball was still touching the red hazard line.

They checked with Smith, who confirmed it was touching the line. He birdied the first hole, made only one other birdie, shot 70 and tied for 13th. Smith declined interview requests.

More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

clock This article was published more than  1 year ago

Will Zalatoris’s Tour Championship withdrawal will cost him millions

Will Zalatoris has withdrawn from the season-ending Tour Championship because of two herniated disks in his back, the PGA Tour announced Tuesday. Zalatoris also will not be able to play in next month’s Presidents Cup, where he was likely to be chosen by captain Davis Love III to compete in the biennial event between teams from the United States and the rest of the non-European world.

Will Zalatoris is a WD from the TOUR Championship with a back injury. pic.twitter.com/HlC5pDsJWX — PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) August 23, 2022

Zalatoris, 26, is one of the sport’s rising stars. He won his first PGA Tour title at the FedEx St. Jude Championship on Aug. 21, the first tournament of the PGA Tour’s three-event FedEx Cup playoffs. But he injured his back at last week’s BMW Championship and withdrew after four holes during Saturday’s third round. At the time, he was only four strokes off the lead.

At the Tour Championship, the golfers start with an assigned score based on their ranking in the FedEx Cup points list. Zalatoris ranks third so he was slated to start the tournament at 7 under par, three strokes behind Scottie Scheffler and one behind Patrick Cantlay.

The Tour Championship's wacky scoring system, explained

The PGA Tour said the starting positions for the remaining 29 golfers in the field will not be affected by Zalatoris’s withdrawal. If all 29 finish the tournament, Zalatoris will be assigned 30th place and receive the $500,000 bonus that comes with it. That’s well below what he stood to make if he had played: The Tour Championship winner receives $18 million, the biggest purse on the PGA Tour and more than any of the four majors, and even the second-place golfer receives $6.5 million.

Still, because he qualified for the Tour Championship for the first time, Zalatoris will receive an invitation to next year’s Masters, U.S. Open and British Open, and his win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship will get him into next year’s PGA Championship.

Zalatoris began 2022 ranked 37th in the Official World Golf Rankings but has ascended to his current ninth-place standing thanks to nine top-10 finishes and the one victory. He has only three missed cuts this calendar year and was thought a shoo-in to be one of Love’s captain’s choices for the Presidents Cup, which will be announced after the Tour Championship.

What are they going to say now?

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A quick intro...

Born in San Francisco, California, Will Zalatoris was introduced to the game early on playing with his parents at California Golf Club.  Will and family moved to Dallas, Texas when he was 9 years old and he began working hard on his game while competing in top junior tournaments.  Before heading off to play collegiately, he won both the Texas State Amateur and the U.S. Junior Amateur in 2014. Will attended Wake Forest University where he received the Arnold Palmer Scholarship.  Will had an outstanding collegiate and amateur career, which included representing the United States on the 2017 Walker Cup team at Los Angeles Country Club and winning 4 collegiate titles. He was named the 2017 ACC Player of the Year and 2017 First-Team All-American. He also set the individual scoring average of 70.44 at Wake Forest University.

Professional Career

Will picked up his first professional victory in 2020 at the TPC Colorado Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour.  That win moved him to the top of the Korn Ferry Tour points list and he qualified for the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot, where he finished 6th place.  That top finish, along with a number of others, secured him Special Temporary Member status on the PGA Tour which allowed him to accept unlimited sponsor exemptions for the 2020-2021 season.  Will’s strong play continued and he finished in 2nd place at the 2021 Masters Tournament, one stroke behind the champion.  Will was voted the 2020-2021 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year by his peers.   During the 2021-2022 PGA Tour season, Will continued to rise in the world of golf. He finished the season ranked #1 in SG: Approach and #1 SG: Tee-to-Green.  He recorded three 2nd Place finishes, nine Top-10 finishes, and ended the year ranked #7 in the Official World Golf Ranking.  The highlights of the season came when he finished 2nd at both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open, then capped off an exceptional season with his first PGA Tour victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

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‘What are they going to say now?!?’ Will Zalatoris wins first title in chaotic finish 

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Will Zalatoris on Sunday on the final hole of regulation play at TPC Southwind.

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Will Zalatoris was asked about the grind and how he keeps doing it. He was stuck on zero victories over his two-plus years on golf’s biggest circuit, stuck with a slew of near-misses and stuck with questions of when the breakthrough would come.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s frustrating, motivating, all those things,” he said Friday. “I mean, I’ve been close all year, and I think that over the last month I’ve learned a lot about my game, and I think it’s something that going forward I’m pretty excited. … We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing. 

“You can’t play this good that often and not get a win, so just got to kind of let it get in the way.”

On Sunday, it did. Finally. In one of the one wildest finishes you’ll see, no less. 

"What are they gonna say now?!" pic.twitter.com/4vZcI82Art — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 14, 2022

In the end, Zalatoris won the FedEx St. Jude Championship on the third hole of a playoff with Sepp Straka , his 7-foot bogey putt on the par-3 11th at TPC Southwind clinching it. Though that was far from the only clutch stroke and decision made in the gloaming in Memphis. A four-hole, hour-long sequence will no doubt be replayed in Zalatoris’ head for a while. 

— On the 450-yard, par-4 18th during regulation, we’ll call what went down here The Shout. Tied with Straka at 15-under, Zalatoris hit his third shot to 10 feet, dropped the putt for par, then yelled: “What are they going to say now?!?,” which Steph Curry asked after his Golden State Warriors won last season’s NBA title. Zalatoris’ version was telling. If there’s been a criticism of the 25-year-old’s game, it’s been his putting, and he has apparently heard, then everyone heard him.

— Straka, in the group behind, also parred, and they moved to the first hole of the playoff, back on 18. We’ll label this Routine, only because little else was over this stretch. Both players were on the green in two, both two-putted, both made par. Back to 18 again for the second hole of the playoff. 

— Chaos! On the second hole of the playoff, Zalatoris hit his tee shot right, it hit the cart path, his ball bounced up into a tree, and it settled feet from the boundary fence — which was followed by Straka’s tee shot, which went left, into the penalty area and feet from water. Each player then made a pair of wise decisions and putts. Zalatoris elected to hit a short wedge out instead of trying to run his ball up to the green that was guarded by the water on the left; Straka, seeing that, took a penalty drop and hit to 6 feet from 150 yards out. On the putts, Zalatoris made a left-to-right 10-footer after a pitch on, and Straka matched the par. Whew.

— CHAOS! All caps. On the third hole of the playoff, on the short, 151-yard, par-3 11th, Zalatoris hit an iron right, the ball dribbled along the bricks that divide the green from water — and it nestled up against a layer of sod while somehow not getting wet. Straka wasn’t as lucky; his tee shot went in the same direction and splashed. From there, Straka hit into the bunker over the green after taking his drop in the drop zone, he hit on with his fourth shot — and Zalatoris, after a long look at his lie, picked his ball up, also went back to the drop and hit to 7 feet. 

Which he rolled in. And finally the playoff was over. And finally he was a winner. 

“Adrenaline’s still pumping,” Zalatoris said during his greenside interview on NBC. 

“Looking forward to having some celebrations tonight.”

The takeaway 

Zalatoris is finally a winner. There will be more. A lot more. Especially if he’s figured out the flatstick. 

The leaderboard breakdown 

🎙 @WillZalatoris meets with the media after his first TOUR victory @FedExChamp https://t.co/NMMH9MnGWs — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 15, 2022

— J.J. Spaun leads by one shot entering the final round. He’s at 13-under, Sepp Straka is at 12-under, Will Zalatoris and Trey Mullinax are at 11-under, and Tyler Duncan and Troy Merritt are at 10-under. Notably, Cam Smith was also at 11-under, then was docked two strokes for an improper drop during Saturday’s third round, and he starts at nine-under. 

— Zalatoris birdies his first two holes, and he pulls into a share of the lead. Zalatoris and Spaun are at 13-under, Straka is at 12-under, Denny McCarthy is at 11-under, and 13 players are at 10-under. 

— Zalatoris birdies the 578-yard, par-5 3rd on a 15-foot putt, and he takes a one-shot lead. Zalatoris is at 14-under, Spaun is at 13-under, Straka is at 12-under, and Adam Scott is at 11-under. 

— Spaun bogeys the 3rd after hitting his third shot into a greenside bunker, and Zalatoris’ lead is two shots. Zalatoris is at 14-under, Spaun and Straka are at 12-under, and Scott and Tony Finau are at 11-under. 

— Spaun birdies the 423-yard, par-4 6th on a 12-foot putt, and he moves to within a shot of the lead. Zalatoris is at 14-under, Spaun is at 13-under, and Scott, Straka and Brian Harman are at 12-under. 

— Zalatoris bogeys the 475-yard, par-4 7th after hitting his tee shot up against a tree, and he falls into a share of the lead. Zalatoris and Spaun are at 13-under, Scott, Straka and Harman are at 12-under, and Finau, Jon Rahm, Lucas Glover and Collin Morikawa are at 11-under.

— Harman birdies the 468-yard, par-4 13th on a 13-foot putt, and he moves into a share of the lead with Zalatoris and Spaun. Zalatoris, Spaun and Harman are at 13-under, Scott and Straka are at 12-under, and Rahm, Glover, Morikawa, Finau and Andrew Putnam are at 11-under. 

3 birdies in his last 4 holes 🐦 @HarmanBrian is tied for the lead @FedExChamp . pic.twitter.com/hBPcJLVKHy — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 14, 2022

— Spaun bogeys the 7th after hitting his tee shot into a bunker, and he falls out of the lead. Zalatoris and Harman are at 13-under, Scott, Spaun and Straka are at 12-under, and Rahm, Glover, Morikawa, Finau and Putnam are at 11-under. 

— Harman bogeys the 220-yard par-3 14th after hitting his tee shot into a greenside bunker, and he falls out of the lead. Zalatoris is at 13-under, Harman, Glover and Straka are at 12-under, and Scott, Rahm, Morikawa, Finau, Putnam and Wyndham Clark are at 11-under. 

— Glover birdies the 489-yard, par-4 17th after hitting his second shot to 6 feet, and he moves into a share of the lead. Zalatoris and Glover are at 13-under, Morikawa, Harman and Straka are at 12-under, and Scott, Rahm, Finau and Putnam are at 11-under. 

— Zalatoris birdies the 447-yard, par-4 10th after hitting his second shot to 7 feet, and he retakes a one-shot lead. He’s at 14-under, Glover is at 13-under, Morikawa, Harman and Straka are at 12-under, and Scott, Rahm, Finau and Putnam are at 11-under. 

— Straka birdies the 389-yard, par-4 12th on a 13-foot putt, and he moves into a share of the lead. Zalatoris and Straka are at 14-under, Glover, Harman, Finau and Mullinax are at 12-under, and Scott, Rahm, Morikawa, Putnam and Matt Fitzpatrick are at 11-under. 

The bounce of the week! 😲 The lucky break led to a birdie for @WillZalatoris on the par-5 16th. He's tied for the lead with 2 holes to play @FedExChamp . pic.twitter.com/NIT9qOVDAl — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 14, 2022

— Zalatoris birdies the 512-yard, par-5 16th, receiving some good luck when his tee shot hit off a tree right and went back into the fairway, and he takes a one-shot lead. Zalatoris is at 15-under, Straka is at 14-under, and Mullinax is at 13-under. 

— Straka birdies the 16, and he and Zalatoris are tied for the lead again. Zalatoris and Straka are at 15-under, and Mullinax is at 13-under. 

— On the 450-yard, par-4 18th, Zalatoris rolls in a 10-foot putt for par, and he stays at 15-under with Straka. Mullinax bogeys the hole, and he is at 12-under with Glover and Harman. 

— In the group behind, Straka hits the 18th green in two, two-putts, and he and Zalatoris move on to a playoff, which will start back on the 18th. 

— On the first hole of the playoff, Zalatoris hits into the first cut right of the fairway with his tee shot, and Straka hits the fairway. On their second shots, Zalatoris hits it short and to the right, but is on the green, and Straka hits it pin high and 24 feet away. On their birdie putts, Zalatoris misses just to the right from 42 feet, and Straka rolls his putt 6 feet past the hole before making the comebacker. The playoff continues, back on 18.

Going shot-for-shot in the playoff 🍿 @WillZalatoris and @SeppStraka will head to the third playoff hole @FedExChamp . pic.twitter.com/IPMxKRkNyr — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 14, 2022

— On the second hole of the playoff, Zalatoris hits his tee shot right, it hits the cart path and skips right but remains in play, while Straka’s ball lands into the penalty area left but is not in the water. On Zalatoris’ second shot, from up against a green boundary fence, he pitches back out to the fairway. On Straka’s second stroke, he elects to take penalty relief after watching Zalatoris hit, and he hits his third stroke, from 150 yards out, to 6 feet. On Zalatoris’ third shot, from 94 yards out, to 13 feet. On Zalatoris’ par putt, he sinks the left-to-righter for par. On Straka’s par putt, he makes his left-to-righter, The playoff continues, on 11. 

ALL THE DRAMA! 😲 pic.twitter.com/pHuE4zmEU0 — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 14, 2022

— On the third hole of the playoff, the 151-yard, par-3 11th, things get wild. Zalatoris hits his tee shot right, and it stays out of the water by hanging up in the bricks that divide the green from the water — then Straka hits into the water. On Straka’s third shot, from the drop zone, he hits into the bunker over the green. On Straka’s fourth shot, he hits out of the bunker to 4 feet. On Zalatoris’ second shot, he elects to take an unplayable, goes back to the drop zone, and he hits it to 7 feet. Zalatoris makes his bogey putt, and he wins his first PGA Tour tournament.      

The final word 

“It was a grind. This week, didn’t have my best stuff on Thursday and I kept telling Joel, just keep waiting till the weekend, and to see the decision pay off at the last was pretty cool.” — Zalatoris on NBC, as tears started to form 

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FedEx St Jude Championship: Will Zalatoris wins first PGA Tour title, beating Sepp Straka in play-off

Will Zalatoris overcomes Sepp Straka in a play-off after the pair finish tied on 15 under after 72 holes; overnight leader JJ Spaun sees his challenge fade badly on the final day, carding a 78; Cameron Smith's bid to become world No 1 fails after incurring a two-shot penalty

Monday 15 August 2022 06:40, UK

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Will Zalatoris claimed a maiden PGA Tour title, edging out Sepp Straka in a play-off to win the FedEx St Jude Championship.

Zalatoris and Straka could not be separated after 72 holes, finishing in a tie for first on 15 under, with the eventual winner holing a clutch eight-footer on the 18th to save par and help force a play-off.

The pair both made par twice more on the 18th for the first two holes of the play-off - Zalatoris sinking another long putt second time round to stay in it - before moving to the par-three 12th for the third, where both were forced to take drops after wayward tee shots.

Zalatoris flirted with the water, only for his ball to remarkably stay on the rocks just off the fringe of the green, while Straka was not so fortunate. Ultimately, Zalatoris was forced to take a drop anyway due to being confronted with a near unplayable lie.

Straka then found the back-side bunker from the drop zone, opening the door for Zalatoris, who got up and down in two to clinch his first PGA Tour title after a string of near misses, particularly in the majors.

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The 25-year-old American was edged out by Justin Thomas in a three-hole play-off for the PGA Championship earlier this year, while he also came out on the wrong side of a ding-dong final-day battle with Matt Fitzpatrick at the US Open, finishing in a tie for second. Zalatoris also finished as runner-up to Hideki Matsuyama in the 2021 Masters.

"It's kind of hard to say 'about time' when you're in your second year on Tour but [it's] about time," Zalatoris said.

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"Considering all the close finishes that I've had this year, to finally pull it off means a lot."

JJ Spaun, who had held a one-shot lead overnight over Straka, saw his challenge fade badly on the final day, the American carding a 68 to ultimately finish way back off the pace at five under.

Meanwhile, Australian Cameron Smith, who would have become world No 1 with a win, suffered a sizable blow even before his final round got under way.

The 28-year-old seemingly carded a third round of 67 to see him sit just two shots behind Spaun, only for a two-shot penalty to be added to his score for playing from the wrong place on the fourth hole of his third round.

Footage posted on social media showed Smith's ball was on the red line marking the penalty area on the par-three after he had taken a drop.

Smith, who won the Players Championship in March and his first major title in the 150th Open at St Andrews, failed to recover from the penalty, carding an even-par final round of 70.

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Inside Will Zalatoris' return to health and contention on the PGA Tour

FOR WILL ZALATORIS , the walk up to the Riviera Country Club clubhouse two weeks ago carried with it a wide range of emotions. Every step was as much a point of pride as it was a reminder of a feeling he knows well, but hadn't felt in a while.

"I've got a lot of silver in my house, so getting another second place doesn't really sit that well," Zalatoris said after finishing 3 shots behind the winner, Hideki Matsuyama . "Coming back from what I had to go through physically, we're [headed] in the right direction."

Zalatoris had just played his best golf since returning from a microdiscectomy on two herniated discs in his back that kept him out most of 2023. But once again, his best had only been good enough for second place. Since turning professional in 2018, Zalatoris has six top-10 finishes at major championships (in 13 starts), including runner-up finishes at the 2021 Masters, the 2022 U.S. Open and the 2022 PGA Championship.

As he finished with a par on 18 on Sunday at the Genesis Invitational, Zalatoris hugged his trainer Landan Webster, who had tears running down his face. Zalatoris' wife, Caitlyn, couldn't hide a smile while she looked at her phone and pointed out that this result meant Zalatoris would likely be in the Players Championship field.

"It's crazy to be this emotional about a second place," Webster told ESPN after the round. "But he's gone through so much."

"I'm really proud of how I played," Zalatoris said. "2023 was a bad movie, but so far things are progressing nicely. ... This is what I've missed."

The long journey from back surgery required swing changes, equipment alterations and even a shift in perspective. Now, he's armed with a broomstick putter that nearly rises to his sternum and a different swing from the one that placed him among the best players in majors over the past three years. But the fierce attitude that got him to seventh in the world in 2022 remains unchanged. Zalatoris is officially back.

TROY DENTON KNEW something had clicked. From the back of the driving range at Maridoe Golf Club in Dallas, where Denton's office is located, to the course itself, Zalatoris' swing coach saw an attitude shift in how the 27-year-old was playing during the week leading up to the Genesis Invitational.

"I could tell he had his swagger back," Denton told ESPN. "It was just a matter of time."

Denton had always thought it would take Zalatoris around five events to feel fully comfortable, so the slow start to the year did not faze him. For as much as he and the rest of Zalatoris' team had attempted to give him ample time in recovering and returning to pro golf, kinks would still have to be worked out, feels would have to reestablished and the adrenaline of playing at the highest level could not be replicated anywhere else but inside the ropes.

The swagger Denton had seen in Dallas materialized in Los Angeles, where Zalatoris played like the confident version of himself the golf world had come to know a few years ago. His ballstriking was sharpening -- he finished tied for second in total strokes gained and no one made more birdies than he did (22) during the tournament.

"I feel really good physically, most importantly, but like I said, it's just going to take a little bit of time to get used to it," Zalatoris said on Saturday. "I think being in contention is how you find out where you're at."

Contention is where Zalatoris quickly showed himself to be one of the best ballstrikers and players in the world when he won the tour's rookie of the year award in 2021. At that high point, nothing seemed like it could go wrong. Until it did.

After having to pull out of the 2022 FedEx Cup playoffs following two herniated discs during the BMW Championship, Zalatoris returned to action in January 2023. Then, after seeking multiple opinions on his lingering back issues, the 26-year-old decided to undergo the microdiscectomy.

"When he got hurt, he was flushing it like nobody's business," Denton said. "He was so confident that it's not like you're gonna want to change his swing or tell him he should fear injury, you know?"

But Zalatoris' talent had obscured an ugly truth that Dr. Michael Duffy eventually communicated: The 27-year-old has, as Denton said in layman's terms, "an old man's back." The diagnosis and the subsequent surgery offered clarity on his future in the sport. It was never a question of whether Zalatoris was going to play golf at the highest level again, but rather what he and everyone around him would need to do to make that happen.

The surgery shined a light on aspects of Zalatoris' swing that weren't helping his back. But before any changes could be implemented, Zalatoris had to wait. Following surgery, he couldn't swing for about five months.

The waiting wasn't easy. As Zalatoris explained at Riviera, the time away did allow for him to have unique experiences, like travel to Wimbledon with his wife. But he still needed his golf fix. So Zalatoris would show up to Maridoe once or twice a week. From the back of the range, Denton would watch him come into the club, grab a cart and go out to the course, to watch people -- his dad, friends, anyone -- play.

The downtime allowed Zalatoris to simplify things but also open his mind. It's how he ended up fiddling with several different putters to try and find something new. Zalatoris' putting struggles had been well-documented (he ranked 103rd in strokes gained: putting during the 2021-2022 season), his putting stroke the subject of many uncomfortable close-up social media clips.

During his hiatus, Zalatoris had already ordered an armlock putter from LAB Golf, a company that makes lie-angle balanced putters and had grown in popularity following back-to-back tour wins for Lucas Glover , who played with one of their broomstick putters. The company sent Zalatoris a couple of broomstick putters too. Because the broomstick requires a completely different putting stroke, the process of familiarization requires time. For Zalatoris, who had perhaps more time than he knew what to do with, it was the perfect challenge.

"Really just being able to go out and just kind of screw around with it, it probably took three to four months to kind of figure out the blueprint for it," Zalatoris said. "It's just so simple. I get my setup correct and make sure my eyes are over the ball and just rock the shoulders. That something is that simple [for me] is really good."

Soon enough, the long lever became a revelation. Eventually, Zalatoris was able to start chipping, too. A full swing seemed within reach and suddenly, the light at the end of the tunnel came into view.

"I think at first there was a dark place, a little low time," Denton said. "But then, [the plan] gave him something to come back to."

IF ZALATORIS HAD been looking for any advice on returning to form following a major surgery, he had just stumbled into the best possible situation. At an outing in New York during his time away from pro golf, Zalatoris found himself face to face with someone who knows a thing or two about coming back from injuries and even going through his own microdiscectomy: Tiger Woods .

At the outing, Woods didn't provide a magic elixir, simply a word of caution: Listen to your body. Trust your instincts.

"Even with all the information out there, there is no perfect answer, so we kind of went with that motto," Denton said. "We know we want to move more efficiently the best we can. That doesn't mean it's gonna be perfect, but we're gonna do the best we can ... that was huge for Will, it kind of cleared up his mind."

Following surgery, Zalatoris became the quarterback for his own recovery. With a detailed plan from Dr. Duffy, Zalatoris got everyone on his team on the same page.

While Zalatoris went through physical therapy, Webster's job became to observe Zalatoris and help him free up scar tissue as he progressed in his ability to do everything from walking to tying his shoes to, eventually, hinge his hips and now, swing over 40 times a round for four days in a row.

"My big role through all that was just to make sure that if something was showing a little overtrained that we could address that," Webster said. "That we could treat it that so that the body could continue to recover to not have any plateauing or regression through the process."

The overarching goal was to get back to swinging a golf club, but it couldn't be the same one. Zalatoris' swing prior to the surgery was a walking contradiction. Despite being the bedrock for his success, it was also a Petri dish for movements that, although benign for other pro golfers, put his back in danger. As Denton explained, Zalatoris' right knee was doing what he calls "thrusting" -- causing a lot of side bend and leading to potential back and postural issues, or at the very least discomfort in that part of his body. Something needed to change.

In keeping with the theme of Zalatoris' entire recovery, Denton and short game coach Josh Gregory tried to keep things simple. The ball was moved up in his stance, and the focus became to try and go away from thrusting and more toward rotation.

"I used to time things up with my hands really well throughout the golf swing, but it wasn't really that great on my back," Zalatoris said. "Now I'm a lot more rotary, swinging more horizontal. Got both feet kind of flared out, which helps with not kind of locking up both hips, so I can get a bigger turn."

A ball count, suggested by Dr. Duffy, was instituted in hopes of not wearing out his body and thus, the focus shifted to playing more golf as opposed to having more range time. Denton says their plan for the Masters warmup during tournament week will likely look like this: only 9 holes every day, lots of chipping and putting.

The equipment had to follow suit as well. Zalatoris now plays cavity back irons with more forgiveness through his bag, a shorter driver (he was playing a 46-inch driver at the peak of his 2021-2022 run) and, though his speed has diminished slightly, it's all been done in the name of viable longevity, whatever that may look like.

"He's pretty much back to his natural distance on the irons," Denton said. "But the driver, it's just much more important now to be toned down rather than bomb it. He was around 126 miles per hour swing speed [two years ago] but now he's cruising at 117."

Before his injury, Zalatoris was averaging 314 yards off the tee (good for 13th on the tour during the 2021-22 season) and so far now he's averaging 290 yards per drive. Speed will come with more time and swings, but there is also a feeling that with Zalatoris' elite ballstriking, the priority can shift to a more rotational driver swing that finds the fairway and keeps his back in good shape.

"Even though there's changes, it's just simplicity," Zalatoris said of his swing. "We don't need to overwork or overthink things, it's just commit to what we're doing and see what it adds up to."

Recovery, Zalatoris said, has also become more important and, at least at the moment, takes more time. It's why choosing how much to play, both on tour and on off-weeks, is crucial. And why Webster's presence at tournaments became even more paramount.

On a tournament day, Webster will see Zalatoris in the morning, before any swings are taken and usually conduct a movement assessment pattern to see what needs to be worked on or loosened up by way of techniques like dry needling or radial pressure wave therapy. Often, Zalatoris might communicate what feels off, while other times like they did at Riviera, Webster was able to identify that he needed to loosen Zalatoris' right hip and neck in a way that allowed him to turn more and free himself up.

"I want them roughly on swing one when they get out to the range to have everything doing what it should do," Webster said. "So there's no having to take 10 swings to get this thing moving."

Webster will walk a few holes with Zalatoris and try to pick up any things that a physical limitation -- not a swing mechanic issue -- may have affected. Now more than ever, his goal is to ensure that Zalatoris' body is always prepared to swing his new swing as intended without any hindrance or irritation that could result in a return to bad swing habits. The reality of Zalatoris' situation has made management and maintenance far more essential than trying to find catch-all solutions.

"We've come to the conclusion that there's just, there's no magical thing that's not gonna make his back hurt," Denton said. "So we're all trying to take every day on its own rather than being like, what's next? Just enjoy doing what he's doing now. We don't know, Riviera could be his last good finish. So he's just living in the right now and loving what he is doing right now."

BEFORE ZALATORIS HAD to step away from the golf world, a trend about his game was becoming an adage: When the courses got tougher and the stage became bigger, Zalatoris played his best golf.

"He has the gift of harder," Denton said. "When it's a harder course, harder conditions, he's just going to play better. It's funny because he could make a million birdies, but when you don't have to make birdies, he can beat you pretty bad because he's such a God-given natural ballstriker." Despite all the changes, Zalatoris' mindset hasn't shifted in that regard. Winning on tour would do plenty for his confidence and his résumé, but Zalatoris is fixated on the four major tournaments that have eluded him so far in his career.

"I'm really excited with where I'm trending," Zalatoris said in Los Angeles. "No. 1 [goal] is always making sure that I'm peaking for the majors, and I think we're pretty far ahead of schedule."

As Zalatoris' ballstriking returns and his putting improves (he ranked 15th in strokes gained: putting at Riviera), the tall task of competing, let alone winning, a major after a long time away from the game looms. Denton, for his part, is trying to avoid adding even more pressure to what already is a high-stakes setting.

"We're not trying to overprepare for them," Denton said. "We made that mistake last year and that was another kind of regret, just working too hard for it and that could have been what got his back a little worse."

Even if the ultimate goal remains the same, there has been a shift in perspective. Having the sport taken away from him while also coming to terms with the reality of his situation, Zalatoris and his team have tried their best to remain in the moment. Nothing else is guaranteed.

"I think all of us would probably be like, if we could get 10 good years and do them smart, like he'd be pretty content with that, you know?" Denton said. Medical studies have shown that disc replacements last, conservatively, about 10 years.

Zalatoris & Co. don't want to put limits on anything or look too far ahead. A week like Riviera was a necessary step forward, proof that Zalatoris could come back and compete again at a high level.

Now, after two weeks off, Zalatoris will try his hand at another signature event in Bay Hill, featuring all the top players in the world. Though the balancing act of competition and health will continue, perhaps for the rest of his career, those around him say Zalatoris is particularly well-equipped to handle whatever comes his way. Even if it involves more second-place finishes.

"His ability to look at things, analyze them and approach them in a way that he knows will make him better is exceptional," Webster said. "He looked at his situation and never got frustrated and instead got what he needed out of time. His ability to focus and do that is why I know he's going to compete to be the number one golfer in the world."

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Will zalatoris odds to win the 2024 the memorial tournament presented by workday, share this article.

Will Zalatoris is heading to Muirfield Village GC in Dublin, OH this week, as he’ll be one of the many golfers playing in the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday from June 6-9.

Wanting to wager on Zalatoris in this week’s tournament? Here are some ways to get in on the betting action.

the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday details and info

• Date: June 6-9, 2024
• Course: Muirfield Village GC
• Location: Dublin, OH
• Previous Winner: Viktor Hovland

How to watch the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday

• Thursday: Golf Channel
• Friday: Golf Channel
• Saturday: Golf Channel
• Sunday: Golf Channel

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Zalatoris odds to win the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday

The current odds on Zalatoris to win the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday are +7500. If you decided to bet $10 on Zalatoris, you’d end up with $760.00 if he won.

PGA odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook . Odds updated Wednesday at 8:56 PM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub .

Zalatoris odds to finish in the top 5 at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday

Zalatoris is +1200 to finish in the top five at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday. If you bet $10 on Zalatoris, you’d get $130.00 back.

Zalatoris odds to finish in the top 10 at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday

Odds for the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday are available, and Zalatoris is listed at +550 to at least finish in the top 10. That means wagering $10 on Zalatoris would give you $65.00.

Other betting markets for Zalatoris at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday

There are lots of other ways to wager on golf too. For example, you can pick whether a player will make the cut, or who will be in front at the end of the first round. More common golf wagers include one-on-one matchups and 3-ball matchups (when three players are grouped together and teeing off at the same time). It’s easy — just select who will wind up posting the best score in that round.

Zalatoris recent performances

While Zalatoris hasn’t won any of the 10 tournaments he has participated in this season, he has come away with two top-five finishes and three top-10 finishes. In his past four events, Zalatoris has finished in the top 10 once. Zalatoris will seek to make the cut for the sixth straight event. Zalatoris has one top-five finish in his last two trips to this tournament. His average finishing position over that span is fifth.

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.

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2024 Texas Children's Houston Open odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

W ith the Florida Swing wrapped up, the PGA Tour heads to Texas for the 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open . This is the 4th year Memorial Park will host the event, which is headlined by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler .

Below, we look at the 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions .

Having won his last 2 starts, Scheffler will look to make it 3 wins in a row this week in Houston. He's the odds-on favorite to win at +275, by far the shortest odds of any player in the field. Wyndham Clark has the 2nd-best odds at +1200, followed by Will Zalatoris (+1800), Sabith Theegala (+2200) and 2023 champion Tony Finau (+2200).

Memorial Park is a par 70 and plays at 7,435 yards, so it's one of the longer courses on tour. It underwent a major renovation in 2019, which is when the PGA Tour returned to this site, with everything from hole distances changing to bunkers and trees being removed. Scheffler and Finau share the course record of 8-under 62, which Scheffler shot in 2021 and Finau carded in 2022.

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Texas Children's Houston Open – Expert picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook ; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 3:32 p.m. ET.

Will Zalatoris (+1800)

Zalatoris' missed cut at the Players Championship was surprising, but it shouldn't be enough to deter bettors from taking him again this week in Houston. He typically plays well when the conditions are tough, as evidenced by his major finishes, and while he's never played this event before, it's a good bounce-back opportunity for him at a course that emphasizes ball striking over putting.

Sahith Theegala (+2200)

Theegala finished 61st and 22nd in his 2 starts at this event, but it's reasonable to think he'll improve upon both of those finishes this year. He's in the midst of his best season yet, already posting 4 top-10s and a runner-up in 8 starts with only 1 missed cut. Theegala is just the type of player who can unseat Scheffler at the top.

Keith Mitchell (+4000)

Mitchell had the Valspar Championship in his hands before collapsing in the final round with a 77 on Sunday. That dropped him from 1st to 17th on the last day of the tournament after holding a 2-shot 54-hole lead. That ending to his week will leave a bitter taste in his mouth, but it was more of a fluky performance with the driver than anything. He finished 41st here in 2021 and 9th in 2022.

Texas Children's Houston Open picks – Contenders

Joel dahmen (+6600).

After missing the cut in 3 of his 1st 5 starts of the season, Dahmen has gotten back on track by making it in each of his last 3 starts – including an 11th-place finish at the Players Championship. He followed it up with a T-49 at the Valspar last week and now ranks 27th in strokes gained: off the tee and 8th in approach.

Aaron Rai (+5000)

Rai missed the cut at the Valspar Championship by a few shots but he had notched 3 straight top-35 finishes before that. His putter hasn't cooperated, ranking 136th in strokes gained on the greens but he's 23rd tee-to-green. This is a course he's had success at before, finishing 7th and 19th in his last 2 starts here.

Texas Children's Houston Open picks – Long shots

Alex smalley (+12500).

Smalley has missed the cut in 7 of his 9 starts this season and one of his made cuts resulted in a 75th-place finish. So why bet him now? Because he finished 4th in this tournament in 2022 and 15th the year prior, so he clearly knows this course well.

Tyson Alexander (+25000)

Peter Malnati showed on Sunday that no matter a player's odds, anyone can win at any time. Alexander is a mega-long shot at +30000, but he was the runner-up here in 2022 and already has 1 top-20 finish this season.

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This article originally appeared on USA Today Sportsbookwire: 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Sleeper Picks: the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday

Sleeper Picks

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Will Zalatoris (+6000) … It’s like fishing, isn’t it? Cast the line, wait, and then yank! Setting aside the usual acknowledgment for the absence of traditional Sleepers in Signature Events, if it seems that he’s almost unfairly long at this value in a 73-man field and on a course where he finished T5 in his last appearance (in 2022), then take a bite for a full unit because you’re right. Recent soreness in his back thwarted a home game at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson but it also was his only break during a six-week stretch, so it’s fair to assume that he wouldn’t have committed if the tournament wasn’t in his backyard. He’s shown luster thrice this year with a T2 at The Genesis Invitational, a T4 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and a T9 at the Masters, so the 27-year-old wasted little time in shoving back to center stage after his microdiscectomy. Incidentally, as it concerns only the first six Signature Events, Genesis champ Hideki Matsuyama also was +6000 and only the third-longest winner of the series. However, the next-shortest is Rory McIlroy at but +750 pre-tournament at the Wells Fargo Championship, so there’s been a bit of all or nothing relative to the outrights

Denny McCarthy (+900) … As opposed to leaning into a stronger (read: shorter) angle, let’s ride with the only guy in the field who recorded a top-five in each of the last two editions of the Memorial. The only other in play across the last three post-renovation is none other than Scottie Scheffler with a pair of third-place finishes, but he’s atop the Power Rankings and an absurd (-155) for a Top 5. A year ago, McCarthy was ousted in a playoff by Viktor Hovland but the American led the field during regulation in Strokes Gained: Putting and total distance of putts converted. Of course, he did; that’s what he does. He’s currently second on the PGA TOUR in SG: Putting and No. 1 in both one-putt percentage and fewest putts per round. Running it back to 2022 when he finished T5, he paced the field in Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green and conversion percentage from 4-8 feet, missing only one of 19 tries. It’s worth adding that, unlike this week’s limited field, both of the previous two were customarily full fields.

Denny McCarthy uses nice approach to set up birdie at the Memorial

Justin Rose (+550) … So many of the others in his vicinity on the board present as personal preferences. All have some measure of regular promise that is self-evident. The Englishman isn’t that. He’s speculative, which is why he has my attention. This is his first appearance in four years, so it’s his first look at the renovation. However, since splashing at Muirfield Village with a solo fourth in 2004, it really hasn’t mattered what Jack Nicklaus commissioned, Rose has mastered the modifications. Seven of his 10 paydays in 14 trips resulted in a top 10. That includes the 2010 title and runner-up finishes in 2008 and 2015. Yes, he’s now 43 years of age but he’s still competing strongly enough to warrant the hope. Just finished T6 at the PGA Championship and you won’t find an active professional who appreciates what Nicklaus has done for the sport and what the sport gives back more than the Brit. That he gets another crack at the Memorial is a bonus embraced.

Taylor Moore (+300) … Edges Davis Thompson (also at +300) for this endorsement primarily because Thompson, via the Aon Swing 5 (where he’s currently sixth), was the beneficiary of Robert MacIntyre’s decision not to play. Thompson also just secured an exemption into the U.S. Open at final qualifying in Canada , so his dance card suddenly is full of unexpected opportunities. None of that is a negative but Moore has had both circled for some time, so he’s managed his schedule for this fortnight accordingly. For all kinds of obvious reasons, he’s been a common go-to in Sleepers. This is his sixth appearance; he’s connected for touts twice. Half of his most recent eight starts resulted in a Top 20. That includes both majors, so he’s unfazed by the stiffest competition.

Jackson Koivun (+200) … Nothing like a PGA TOUR debut in a Signature Event that happens to be the tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus. Of course, Koivun isn’t just any general talent. He’s fresh off a national championship at Auburn where he swept all postseason hardware, including the Jack Nicklaus Award for the top college player of the year. He won the SEC Championship (by six strokes), finished T2 in the individual portion of the national championship and led Division 1 in adjusted scoring. So, he’s quickly up to 13 points in PGA TOUR University Accelerated , second-best only to Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent, who deferred his membership until 2025. And talk about respect – albeit with an understanding of how a handle can influence the odds; the 19-year-old is instantly popular – at last check, there were 15 with longer odds for this special market opened due to the construct of the field.

Odds were sourced at BetMGM.

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Rob Bolton is a Golfbet columnist for the PGA TOUR. The Chicagoland native has been playing fantasy golf since 1994, so he was just waiting for the Internet to catch up with him. Follow Rob Bolton on Twitter .