Will Zalatoris: Biography, Career, Net Worth, Family, Top Stories for the PGA Tour Star
Before Will Zalatoris joined the PGA Tour as a temporary member in 2020, hardly anyone knew his name. That quickly changed when the talented rookie stole the hearts of golf fans everywhere by nearly winning the 2021 Masters in his first-ever appearance at Augusta National.
Since his coming-out party at Augusta, Zalatoris has become a PGA Tour winner, a multi-time runner-up in major championships, and a top-10 golfer in the world. The future is bright for Willy Z.
But who is Will Zalatoris? Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about the ball-striker extraordinaire, ranging from personal information to his statistics to the top stories he’s inspired throughout his time on and off the links.
Article Contents
- Quick facts
- Early life and high school
- Junior and amateur golf
- College
- PGA Tour career
- Majors performance
- OWGR history
- Playing style
- Caddie
- Wife and family
- Net worth and career earnings
- Sponsors
- FAQ
Quick Will Zalatoris facts
- Full name: William Patrick Zalatoris
- Birthday: August 16, 1996
- Birthplace: San Francisco, California
- Parents: Richard Zalatoris and Catherine Zalatoris
- Siblings: None
- Listed height: 6-foot-2
- Listed weight: 175 pounds
- High school: Trinity Christian Academy (Addison, Texas)
- College: Wake Forest University
- Turned pro: 2018
- PGA Tour playing career: 2018-present
- Marital status: Married
- Spouse: Caitlin Sellers
- Children: None
Where did Will Zalatoris grow up and play high school golf?
Will Zalatoris was born on August 16, 1996, to parents Richard and Catherine Zalatoris. He began playing golf at a young age when his father would bring him to California Golf Club to play in the afternoons.
Zalatoris grew up in San Francisco, California, but his family moved to Dallas, Texas, when he was nine years old. The talented teenager attended Trinity Christian Academy in Addison, Texas, where he led the school to a TAPPS State Championship in 2011 and 2013. He also won the individual state championship in 2012 and 2013.
Will Zalatoris junior and amateur career
Zalatoris was a decorated junior and amateur golfer.
In 2009, he qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur at just 12 years old. In 2014, when he was 14, he won the Texas State Amateur, the Trans-Miss Championship, and U.S. Junior Amateur in the same year. Two years later, he won the 2016 Trans-Mississippi Amateur and the 2016 Pacific Coast Amateur.
In 2017, Zalatoris was named to the U.S. Walker Cup team along with Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler, Maverick McNealy, and Cameron Champ. The Americans defeated Team Great Britain & Ireland, 19-7, as Zalatoris went 3-1 in his four matches.
Zalatoris played a ton of junior golf with fellow Texans Scheffler and Jordan Spieth in his junior and amateur careers. The Dallas natives battled in multiple tournaments as teenagers, and Zalatoris was a co-medalist with Spieth at the 2011 Champions Invitational.
Where did Will Zalatoris go to college?
After graduating from Trinity Christian in 2014, Zalatoris committed to Wake Forest University to play golf. As a freshman, he won his first collegiate tournament at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate and finished 14th at the ACC Championship.
Zalatoris returned the following year and led the Deamon Deacons in scoring average as a sophomore (71.2). He recorded a win, three top-five finishes, and eight top-10s in 13 starts, and he was named an Honorable Mention All-American for the season.
As a junior, Zalatoris won more trophies than he could carry with two hands. He won ACC Player of the Year and was named All-ACC, First-Team GCAA All-American, First-Team Golfweek All-American, Nicklaus Award finalist, and Hogan Award semifinalist. His 70.14 scoring average was the third-best mark in Wake Forest history for a single season.
Zalatoris turned pro after his junior year and didn’t return to school.
Will Zalatoris PGA Tour career
Zalatoris turned pro in 2018, but he didn’t officially reach the PGA Tour until 2020. He earned special temporary membership for the 2020-21 season, which gave him unlimited sponsor exemptions on the PGA Tour for the entire year.
Zalatoris made the most of his unique opportunity by recording eight top-10s in 25 starts as a rookie. He even finished runner-up to Hideki Matsuyama in his first-ever appearance at the Masters in 2021, which was the event that put him on the map. His stellar rookie season earned him full-time status on the PGA Tour for the 2021-22 season.
In that campaign, Zalatoris established himself as one of the best players in the world. He notched his first PGA Tour victory at the 2022 Wyndham Championship, recorded nine top-10s in 24 starts, and cracked the top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time. At the age of 25, he finished T6 or better in three of the four major championships, including runner-up finishes at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open.
Will Zalatoris 2014-15 PGA Tour season
Will Zalatoris made his PGA Tour debut at the 2015 Northern Trust Open. He shot 5 over through two rounds and missed the cut.
| Tournament | Finishing position | Score to par |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Trust Open | CUT | +5 |
Will Zalatoris 2015-16 PGA Tour season
Zalatoris played one event in the 2015-16 season, the AT&T Byron Nelson, where he again shot 5 over par through two rounds and missed the cut.
| Tournament | Finishing position | Score to par |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T Byron Nelson | CUT | +5 |
Will Zalatoris 2017-18 PGA Tour season
Zalatoris made his first PGA Tour cut at the 2018 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where he finished T68. He missed the cut in his other five starts in 2017-18.
| Tournament | Finishing position | Score to par |
|---|---|---|
| Farmers Insurance Open | CUT | E |
| AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am | T68 | E |
| AT&T Byron Nelson | CUT | -1 |
| the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide | CUT | +4 |
| U.S. Open | CUT | +11 |
| Wyndham Championship | CUT | -2 |
Will Zalatoris 2020-21 PGA Tour season
Before 2020, not many golf fans had ever heard the name Will Zalatoris. That changed in his rookie season when the youngster finished T6 at the U.S. Open in his second-ever major championship start. He then burst on the scene with a solo second at the Masters in his first appearance at Augusta National Golf Club.
In 25 starts, Zalatoris recorded 14 top-25 finishes and eight top-10s. He was named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year after the season.
| Tournament | Finishing position | Score to par |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Open (2020) | T6 | +5 |
| Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship (2020) | T8 | -12 |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | CUT | E |
| Shriners Hospitals for Children Open | T5 | -19 |
| Bermuda Championship | T16 | -8 |
| Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN | T52 | -4 |
| Farmers Insurance Open | T7 | -8 |
| Waste Management Phoenix Open | T17 | -12 |
| AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am | T55 | -1 |
| The Genesis Invitational | T15 | -4 |
| World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at The Concession | T22 | -6 |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard | T10 | -3 |
| The Players Championship | 21 | -6 |
| World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play | T28 | |
| Masters Tournament (2021) | 2 | -9 |
| RBC Heritage | T42 | -5 |
| Wells Fargo Championship | CUT | +4 |
| AT&T Byron Nelson | T17 | -16 |
| PGA Championship | T8 | -1 |
| Charles Schwab Challenge | T59 | +2 |
| U.S. Open (2021) | CUT | +7 |
| Rocket Mortgage Classic | 77 | E |
| The Open Championship | W/D | -1 |
| World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational | T8 | -12 |
| Wyndham Championship | T29 | -10 |
Will Zalatoris 2021-22 PGA Tour season
Still searching for his first PGA Tour win, Zalatoris started the 2021-22 season slow with two missed cuts in his first five starts. At the Farmers Insurance Open, he played his way into a playoff against Luke List but lost with a par on the first playoff hole.
A few months later, he found himself in another playoff at the PGA Championship, this time against Justin Thomas. Again, Zalatoris lost the playoff by one stroke. At the U.S. Open a month later, Zalatoris came one stroke and a few inches away from forcing a playoff against Matthew Fitzpatrick.
The close calls were starting to wear on Zalatoris. He could’ve had three wins and two major championships before July, but he was still fighting for his first victory.
That victory finally came at the 2022 Wyndham Championship — ironically, in a playoff against Sepp Straka. Unfortunately for Zalatoris, a back injury forced him out of the FedEx Cup Playoffs early, and he finished 30th in the standings.
| Tournament | Finishing position | Score to par |
|---|---|---|
| Fortinet Championship | T11 | -12 |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | T14 | -17 |
| Shriners Children’s Open | CUT | -2 |
| ZOZO Championship | T54 | +6 |
| World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba | CUT | -2 |
| QBE Shootout | T7 | -26 |
| The American Express | T6 | -19 |
| Farmers Insurance Open | 2 | -15 |
| The Genesis Invitational | T26 | -6 |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard | T38 | +6 |
| The Players Championship | T26 | -4 |
| World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play | T5 | |
| Masters Tournament | T6 | -3 |
| Zurich Classic of New Orleans | T4 | -23 |
| AT&T Byron Nelson | CUT | -4 |
| PGA Championship | 2 | -5 |
| Charles Schwab Challenge | CUT | +3 |
| the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday | T5 | -6 |
| U.S. Open | T2 | -5 |
| Genesis Scottish Open | CUT | +5 |
| The Open Championship | T28 | -8 |
| Rocket Mortgage Classic | T20 | -13 |
| Wyndham Championship | T21 | -9 |
| FedEx St. Jude Championship | 1 | -15 |
| BMW Championship | W/D | -3 |
Will Zalatoris 2022-23 PGA Tour season
Zalatoris played in five events in the 2022-23 season after a back injury forced him to miss the entire fall swing. His best finish came at the Genesis Invitational (solo 4th) in February.
In April, Zalatoris underwent a microdiscectomy surgery on his back that will sideline him for the remainder of the season.
| Tournament | Finishing position | Score to par |
|---|---|---|
| Sentry Tournament of Champions | T11 | -20 |
| The American Express | T36 | -16 |
| Farmers Insurance Open | CUT | +1 |
| The Genesis Invitational | 4 | -13 |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard | T53 | +2 |
| Players Championship | 73 | +8 |
| World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play | T59 | – |
Will Zalatoris majors performances
Will Zalatoris doesn’t yet have a major championship victory on his resume, but he’s come a few inches short on multiple occasions. In 2022 alone, he lost to Justin Thomas by one shot in a playoff at the PGA Championship and burned the edge on the 72nd hole of the U.S. Open to nearly force a playoff with Matthew Fitzpatrick.
In 10 career major championship appearances, Zalatoris has three runner-up finishes and six top-10s. It’s only a matter of time until the talented youngster wins his first major.
Will Zalatoris Masters performances
Zalatoris clearly has an affinity for Augusta National Golf Club. In two Masters appearances, he’s finished solo second and T6.
| Year | Pos | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Score to par |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2 | 70 | 68 | 71 | 70 | -9 |
| 2022 | T6 | 71 | 72 | 75 | 67 | -3 |
Will Zalatoris PGA Championship performances
Zalatoris loves the PGA Championship almost as much as he loves the Masters, as he’s finished inside the top eight in both of his starts. His best finish at the PGA Championship came in 2022 when he lost in a playoff to Justin Thomas to finish solo second.
| Year | Pos | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Score to par |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | T8 | 71 | 74 | 72 | 70 | -1 |
| 2022 | 2 | 66 | 65 | 73 | 71 | -5 |
Will Zalatoris U.S. Open performances
It’s been an up-and-down ride for Zalatoris to start his U.S. Open career. In four appearances, he’s missed the cut twice and finished inside the top six twice. His best finish came in 2022 when he came one stroke short of Matthew Fitzpatrick’s winning score.
| Year | Pos | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Score to par |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | CUT | 80 | 71 | – | – | +11 |
| 2020 | T6 | 70 | 74 | 70 | 71 | +5 |
| 2021 | CUT | 75 | 74 | – | – | +7 |
| 2022 | T2 | 69 | 70 | 67 | 69 | -5 |
Will Zalatoris Open Championship performances
The Open Championship has been Willy Z’s worst major so far. In two appearances, he was forced to withdraw in 2021 and finished T28 in 2022.
| Year | Pos | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Score to par |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | W/D | 69 | – | – | – | -1 |
| 2022 | T28 | 73 | 67 | 71 | 69 | -8 |
Will Zalatoris Official World Golf Ranking
When Will Zalatoris turned pro in 2018, he was ranked outside the top 2,000 in the Official World Golf Ranking for 41 straight weeks. His strong play on the Korn Ferry Tour helped him jump inside the top 500 in February 2020, and his out-of-nowhere T6 at the 2020 U.S. Open vaulted him inside the top 100 for the first time in his career. He hasn’t slipped outside the top 100 since.
It took Zalatoris just two full-time seasons on the PGA Tour to become a top-10 player in the world, as his win at the 2022 BMW Championship propelled him to No. 9 in the OWGR. Despite his injury, he still remains in the No. 26 spot.
- Current rank: No. 26
- Lifetime high: No. 7
- Lifetime low: No. 2,056
- Weeks ranked No. 1: 0
Will Zalatoris playing style
Zalatoris excelled early in his PGA Tour career because of his elite ball-striking. He quickly established himself as one of the best iron players in the world by finishing his rookie season (2020-21) ranked seventh on Tour in strokes gained approaching the green. Incredibly, he improved upon that mark in his sophomore season by ranking No. 1 in strokes gained approaching the green, No. 1 in strokes gained from tee to green, and third in total strokes gained.
Despite his lanky frame, Zalatoris is also one of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour. In the 2021-22 season, he ranked 13th on Tour in average driving distance (314.7 yards) and 11th in strokes gained off the tee.
The club that has held Zalatoris back early in his career has been the putter. He has one of the ugliest, choppiest strokes in professional golf, which causes him to miss short putts more often than the average player.
However, Zalatoris has improved his putting every year since joining the PGA Tour. If he can become just an average player with the flatstick, Zalatoris possesses the all-around talent to eventually become the No. 1 golfer in the world.
Will Zalatoris caddie
Zalatoris employed Ryan Goble as his caddie when he turned pro in 2018, and the two became best friends during their journey to the top of the PGA Tour. But in a surprising move, Zalatoris fired Goble in the middle of the 2022 Wyndham Championship. It was a move he called the “toughest decision I’ve had to make in my golf career,” per Yahoo Sports.
Zalatoris immediately replaced Goble with veteran caddie Joel Stock, and he won his very next start at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Stock is a golfer himself who played at the University of Oregon from 1992-97. He previously caddied for Ben Crane and Cameron Tringale, and he was on Crane’s bag for his win at the 2014 St. Jude Classic.
Will Zalatoris wife and family
Will Zalatoris married his college sweetheart and best friend, Caitlyn Sellers, in December 2022. Sellers received her bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest and her master’s degree from the University of Texas.
The golfer’s parents are Richard Zalatoris and Catherine Zalatoris. Richard introduced him to the game of golf as a child by taking him to play at California Golf Club, and Catherine, a former track star at the University of Oregon, passed along her competitiveness.
Zalatoris has no children.
Will Zalatoris net worth and career earnings
Will Zalatoris has been a full-time player on the PGA Tour for only two years, but he’s already racked up more than $14 million in career earnings. Most of that total came from the 2021-22 season when he earned more than $9 million.
| Season | Earnings |
|---|---|
| 2017-18 | $14,874 |
| 2020-21 | $3,487,352 |
| 2021-22 | $9,405,082 |
| 2022-23 | $1,474,780 |
| Total | $14,382,088 |
As of 2023, Zalatoris’ net worth is $2.5 million, per Tuko News.
Will Zalatoris sponsors
Zalatoris has partnered with multiple sponsors throughout his PGA Tour career, including Titleist, FootJoy, Unisys, iCapital Network, UKG Solutions, Simmons Bank, and Gillette.
Will Zalatoris FAQ
Will Zalatoris was born in San Francisco, California, to parents Richard and Catherine Zalatoris.
Born on August 16, 1996, Will Zalatoris is 27 years old.
Will Zalatoris is 6-foot-2.
Will Zalatoris has one PGA Tour win. He won the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship in a playoff over Sepp Straka.
Will Zalatoris has been married to Caitlin Sellers since 2022.
Will Zalatoris has no children.
Will Zalatoris’ net worth is $2.5 million, per Tuko News.
Will Zalatoris fired his longtime caddie, Ryan Goble, in 2022 because their relationship “was just getting a little unhealthy for both of us.” He hired veteran PGA Tour caddie Joel Stock to replace Goble.
Zalatoris plays with a Titleist TSR3 driver, a Titleist TSR2+ 3 wood, a Titleist T200 utility iron, Titleist T100 irons, Titleist Vokey SM9 wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron Phantom X T11 putter, per Golf Monthly.
Will Zalatoris lives in Plano, Texas, with his wife, Caitlin Sellers.
