Last year's PGA Championship runner-up won't get a chance to finish the job.
Will Zalatoris, the No. 9-ranked golfer on the planet, won't be teeing it up this weekend at Oak Hill Country Club to continue his quest for his first major win.
Zalatoris has flirted with major success since he turned pro in 2018, with six top-10 finishes in 10 tries across all four of golf's majors. In 2022, Zalatoris got the closest he's been, when he and Justin Thomas entered a playoff for the Wanamaker Trophy at Southern Hills.
Thomas outlasted Zalatoris in the epic conclusion to the tournament, and it'll be the last time Zalatoris vies for the PGA Championship until 2024.
MORE: PGA Championship field — Who has a shot, with Zalatoris absent?
Here's what to know about Zalatoris' absence, and when you can expect to see him back on the greens:
What happened to Will Zalatoris?
Earlier in 2023, Zalatoris withdrew from the Masters and subsequently underwent surgery to correct a back issue that he has been dealing with for over a year. He won't be back on the course until the new PGA Tour slate tees off in the fall.
Earlier this year, Zalatoris said that his swing was slightly reworked to try and alleviate pain in his back, but ultimately he opted for surgery for permanent relief.
During the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January, Zalatoris explained the mechanics of his swing and how it was causing him distress.
“We spent a lot of time understanding the pressures on my golf swing and understanding how I push off my right side," he said. "I do it later than a lot of guys, so what that does for someone with a lot of side bend is that gets my right hip high and my spine is tilted back, and so as Dr. (Greg) Rose said, 'Duh, no wonder I had a back issue.'"
Zalatoris has been dealing with the back issue for over a year, and it forced him to withdraw from the BMW Championship last August, a week after he secured his first PGA Tour win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
MORE: Who will win the PGA Championship in 2023?
What is Will Zalatoris' injury?
Zalatoris was diagnosed with two herniated discs in his back, leading to the surgery to repair them.
On April 10, the golfer announced he underwent a procedure to fix his ailing back, leaving him out of action until the new PGA Tour season kicks off in the fall.
Zalatoris released a statement explaining his procedure and the pain he was in:
BREAKING: Will Zalatoris underwent surgery on Saturday and will miss the rest of the season. pic.twitter.com/tsjcM1zkXC
— Rick Gehman (@RickRunGood) April 10, 2023
After careful consideration and seeking multiple medical opinions, I underwent a successful microdiscectomy on Saturday. As much as I hate not being able to play the rest of the season, I am happy that I am already seeing the benefits of the procedure. Playing and living in pain is not fun. I look forward to making a full recovery and seeing everyone in the fall. Thank you to Dr. Michael Duffy, Dr. Tom Kelton, and their respective teams for getting me fixed. And, of course, thank you to everyone for the support and the messages. I look forward to getting back to 100%.
Per the Mayo Clinic, a discectomy is a surgery that removes "the damaged part of a disk in the spine that has its soft center pushing out through the tough outer lining."
He expects to be back on the course in the fall.
