Former PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Will Zalatoris has announced that he will miss the rest of the FedEx Cup season following another back surgery. The 28-year-old golfer underwent the procedure to correct two herniated disks in his back at the Texas Back Institute last Friday.

Zalatoris shared on social media that he had been experiencing increasing discomfort and instability in his back this spring, which prompted further medical evaluation. An MRI after the PGA Championship confirmed the severity of his condition.

"I'm happy to say that I woke up feeling good and excited about my long-term back health," Zalatoris stated. "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."

This isn't the first time Zalatoris has dealt with back issues. He previously had a microdiscectomy in April 2023 to remove part of a herniated disk that was compressing a spinal nerve, which caused him to miss the remainder of that season. Additionally, in 2022, he was forced to withdraw from the FedEx Cup playoffs after injuring his back during the BMW Championship, just one week after securing his first PGA Tour win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

Zalatoris, who was named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2021, has been considered a rising star in the sport, with six top-ten finishes in majors from 2020 to 2022. He was the runner-up at the 2021 Masters and finished second at both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open in 2022. However, his recent struggles with injuries have seen him drop to 84th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

As he focuses on recovery, fans and fellow golfers alike hope to see Zalatoris return to top form in the future.