Will Zalatoris climbed to 60th of Golf World Ranking within only 9 months in silence and also in passion.
The PGA Tour and Europe Tour has resumed after the COVID-19 pandemic, but no one could predict that the 24-year-old-player – Will Zalatoris – could make a leap from the 423 ranks to the top 100 on the Official World Golf Ranking after the quarantine.
His remarkable performance won him a special temporary membership on the PGA Tour and a “rising golfer star” title.
Zalatoris’ family moved from California to Texas then he became a best friend with a make-a-putt-from-anywhere boy named Jordan. Since then, he spent his summers driving around Texas playing three events every week and enjoying competitive golf matches among friends.
His wonderful opportunity for becoming a professional golfer in his life was the introduction to David Price – the Head Golf Professional at Beat Tree Country Club. Along with Tom Kite and Ben Crenshaw, DP was on the University of Texas team and kept the victories during the national championships in the 70s. At the age of 11, Zalatoris still knew that that man was a legend. The appreciation that this little boy expressed to David Price beyond what this legend trained his swings and the way he sharpened his psychology. Zalatoris will never forget every word that DP gave him: “Are you on the range for social hour, or are you out here to try and get better?”
David was the only one who realized Zalatoris’ potential. During the teenager’s time of Zalatoris , David had done so much things to him, ranging from watching the boy taking challenges of competitions, encouraging him making attempt to outdrive the older members and motivating him constantly on the course-record match with Jordan at Bent Tree. Zalatoris could keep his high spirit during competitions thanks to David’s advices. “I know it’s cool to talk about winning,” Price would say. “But if you want to be a competitive golfer, you’ve got to work at it.”
At the age of 12, Zalatoris gained considerable accomplishment. For example, he was fours shot back going into the third and final day of an AJGA event in Charlotte, then five birdies on the back nine to shoot a 65 and win the tournament by one shot. He became the champion at the U.S Junior Amateur by shooting a 65 after going nine under in the last 12 holes despite of a six over par with over half round left to play. He confessed that unless there was the help of David Price, the 2014 U.S. Junior Am tile, Arnold Palmer Scholarship to Wake Forest and even 2017 Walker Cup did not belong to him.
Since Zalatoris started his professional career in 2008, he found that there is no significant difference between being competitive and extreme pressure. Besides Champ, Hovland, Morikawa, Wolff and Scheffler on the PGA, Will Zalatoris is also considered the next start of the golf world.
U.S Open Championship is the event where he made his name become notable. Besides, there are other 10 players jumped to the top 100 of the world with at least 100 spots, such as: Harris English (PGA Tour stop in Bermuda champion) moved to 33rd in the world from 155th, Russell Henley, Zach Johnson and Mackenzie Hughes.
Additionally, top 15 in the World marked new names, who are Daniel Berger (from 107th to 13th) thanks to the win at Colonial in the first PGA Tour and Matthew Wolff (from 110th to 14th ) after finished second at the U.S Open.