Will Zalatoris withdraws from CJ Cup Byron Nelson
McKINNEY, Texas — The CJ Cup Byron Nelson will be without another of its hometown heroes.
First, Masters champion Scottie Scheffler opted to skip this week as he and wife Meredith await the birth of their first child. That had been expected. But on Wednesday, Will Zalatoris surprised tournament organizers by withdrawing from the tournament.
Zalatoris, 27, didn’t cite an official reason or post a statement on social media, but he told a PGA Tour media official that it was for precautionary reasons related to his back. He was scheduled to give a press conference at 2 p.m. CT, which has been canceled too. Nick Watney replaces Zalatoris, who was one of the top draws this week, in the field.
Zalatoris entered the week ranked No. 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He has recorded three top-10 finishes this season — a T-2 at the Genesis Championship in February, a T-4 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March and a T-9 at the Masters in April. He last competed at the RBC Heritage two weeks ago.
Two days after he withdrew from the 2023 Masters, he underwent a microdiscectomy surgery and missed more than seven months. Zalatoris told a media official that he has a big stretch of golf in the months ahead with three majors still remaining on the schedule and a Signature event scheduled for next week in Charlotte. He didn’t pull out this week due to a recurring back issue but rather is taking advantage of being home and getting treatment. He told a media official he could’ve played this week.
Zalatoris’s WD means there are only three players in the top 30 competing this week at TPC Craig Ranch.
