Will Zalatoris has been hitting the gym to get stronger and avoid injuries that have slowed him down before.
Known for his slim build, he’s had some back issues and even surgery, so now he’s focused on building muscle instead of just swinging clubs.
Since August, Zalatoris has mostly stayed off the golf course, spending time lifting weights and eating lots of protein to bulk up.
Header Text: A New Chapter in Fitness
After all this hard work, he’s ready to play again at the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa. “It has been a great off-season,” he said. “I worked probably the hardest I ever have.” Fans might think this dedication will pay off big time.
Zalatoris added 15 pounds of muscle and worked on his speed and putting skills using a broomstick putter. He wanted to stay home to eat 4,500 calories daily with 200 grams of protein while training hard.
He mentioned he hasn’t really had an off-season since 2019 due to continuous tournaments and rehabbing his back. This year was different because it allowed him to make progress rather than just recover from injuries.
The journey back hasn’t been easy for the 28-year-old golfer who nearly won a Major during an impressive streak before getting hurt. He finished second at the rescheduled 2021 Masters behind Dustin Johnson and came close again in two Majors in 2022.
Despite narrowly losing a playoff against Justin Thomas at the PGA Championship and falling short at the US Open where Matt Fitzpatrick won, Zalatoris is optimistic about regaining his top form after embracing fitness changes.
With three top-10 finishes last season, if he can add distance (he was ranked 77th for driving distances), then he might just be ready for a comeback. Do you think he’ll succeed?
