Will Zalatoris has never played the Old Course. Well, not in real life anyway. “It was on the Tiger Woods video game and I think I shot a 48 on the easy level,” he said of a bombardment of the virtual links that will probably have worried R&A officials extending their Distance Insights Report into computer games. “I think there's a better chance of hitting 48 over nine holes than 18 next week.”
At the 150th Open Championship, Zalatoris will be taking a step into the unknown. “I’ve never played it and I’m going in with the attitude of just soaking in the history,” said the 25-year-old.
“When I get there, I'll do my homework. Everyone has told me that when there's no wind you could argue it is the easiest major championship venue, and when there is wind it can be the hardest major championship venue. I'm just overly excited. With the record I’ve had in the majors, it puts me in a great mental spot.”
Ah yes, that major record. Given that he's been on tour for only two years, Zalatoris’ form in golf’s biggest occasions is quite startling. In nine major outings, he has six top-eight finishes. That number includes a runners-up placing at last year’s Masters, a second at this season’s US PGA and another share of second at the US Open last month.
“I'm only 21 months into being on the PGA Tour and the fact we’re talking about getting a runner-up major slam puts it into perspective,” he said when asked about the possibility of completing this dubious set with yet another near miss in the Open.
Jack Nicklaus finished second 19 times in the majors. But then, he did win 18. So, what about Zalatoris getting the monkey off his back and finally making his own major breakthrough? “It's been a lifetime goal,” added the world No 13. “I’ve finished second three times in majors; of course I want to get over the hump. I've wanted to win a major my entire career. I was around a lot of major champions growing up and I wanted to sit at that table with them.”
Those great champions and confidants include Lee Trevino and Lanny Wadkins. “They have been two really great people to me,” said Zalatoris of these two celebrated, decorated campaigners. “Lee at 80-plus-years-old is still out hitting golf balls on two of the courses we play on back home. I kind of emulate a lot of things that Lee does with his full swing. He used to say that when he wanted to hit a fade he would weaken his left hand and when he wanted to hit a draw he would weaken his right. That way he could be overly aggressive. That's something I do.
“Both those guys have taught me a lot. Lanny texted me after the PGA and I told him. ‘this stings, it hurts’. He said, ‘well I've got eight silver medals so I know how it feels’.”
Dealing with the sore ones is par for the course in a game where you lose far more times than you win. Zalatoris’ losses could’ve left the kind of deep scarring you’d get after a skirmish on a medieval battlefield but the Californian is made of sturdy stuff and is girding his loins again for another major assault.
“The fact I have no regrets whenever I go out and play means I can live with it (the disappointment),” added Zalatoris, who was a winner on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour in 2020 but has yet to taste victory on the main PGA Tour. “The PGA Championship (where he lost in a play-off) was a tough one to swallow because I was right there. But as long as I can walk off the golf course after the 72nd hole with no regrets then what can I change?”
One significant change for Zalatoris has been with his putting. At times, his stroke, particularly over those knee-knocking short ones, could be so uncomfortable on the eye, it should’ve been cordoned off. While observers focused in on this potentially fatal flaw, Zalatoris has blocked out the background mutterings.
“I couldn't care less about the doubters,” he said. “Early on when I got on the PGA Tour I would probably listen a little too much to what guys were saying. Now, I just don't care. I’ve worked hard on my putting and have found something that’s added another piece to the blueprint. That's why I’ve putted so well over the past six to eight weeks.”
Perhaps this blueprint can finally lead nearly man Zalatoris to a major moment?
