Will Zalatoris announced on Wednesday that he will miss the entire 2027 PGA Tour season due to a scheduled spinal-fusion surgery in November aimed at addressing persistent back issues. Speaking at the media day for the Austin Championship, Zalatoris expressed optimism about the procedure, stating, "I've been through four years of hell, so it's good to have something that will hopefully correct it."

Zalatoris, who is set to compete in the Austin Championship from Nov. 12-15 at the Omni Barton Creek Resort, has only participated in four tournaments during the 2026 season due to a torn labrum and ongoing back problems. This upcoming tournament marks his first competitive appearance since the Texas Open in early April.

This surgery will be Zalatoris' third significant back operation since 2023, following a microdiscectomy and a disc replacement in 2025. He remarked, "It's all connected together, and I just want to get it fixed. I can't promise anybody anything because of what I've been through. I'm the oldest 30-year-old you will ever meet."

Since starting his career in 2021, Zalatoris quickly made a name for himself, achieving seven top-10 finishes in his first ten major starts, including runner-up finishes at the 2021 Masters, 2022 PGA Championship, and 2022 U.S. Open. He secured his first PGA Tour victory at the 2022 St. Jude Championship but had to withdraw from the BMW Championship shortly after due to injury.

Looking ahead, Zalatoris stated, "I've been in contact with the Tour, which has been great. It looks like I can come back in 2028 and play in the Challenger Series if everything works like it should."