Will Zalatoris scheduled to return at Sentry

The first event of 2023 also could be Will Zalatoris’ first start since August.

Zalatoris is among a notable list of first-time TOUR winners who have committed to the Sentry Tournament of Champions, which will be played Jan. 5-8 at The Plantation Course at Kapalua on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

Zalatoris qualified for the upcoming Sentry Tournament of Champions by winning his first PGA TOUR title at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He was the highest-ranked player in the world without a TOUR win before beating Sepp Straka in a playoff at TPC Southwind. Straka won his first PGA TOUR title earlier in the year at The Honda Classic.

U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick and Presidents Cup star Tom Kim are among the other first-time TOUR winners who are scheduled to appear at Kapalua. Fitzpatrick made his first PGA TOUR win a major, claiming the U.S. Open at the same venue where he won the U.S. Amateur nearly a decade earlier. Kim is the first player since Tiger Woods to win twice on TOUR before turning 21.

Zalatoris had four runners-up – including three in major championships – before winning in Memphis. He finished second in two majors this year, losing a playoff to Justin Thomas at the PGA Championship and narrowly missing a birdie putt on the 72nd hole of the U.S. Open that would have tied him with Fitzpatrick.

Zalatoris has played just 40 holes since his thrilling playoff with Straka in the opening event of this year’s FedExCup Playoffs. Zalatoris sat atop the FedExCup standings after winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship, but he had to withdraw early in the third round of the following week’s BMW Championship.

Zalatoris was four shots off the lead at Wilmington (Del.) Country Club when he tweaked his lower back. He got treatment on the course but withdrew on the next hole when the pain did not subside. An MRI revealed that Zalatoris, 26, had two herniated disks. He had to sit out the Presidents Cup but did appear on-site to cheer on the U.S. Team. A Golf Channel article said Zalatoris was seeking to return at the Hero World Challenge. He did not participate in last week’s event, however.

Instead, it looks like the Sentry Tournament of Champions could be the site of his return.