Will Zalatoris has been missing from golf for months, since the 2025 PGA Championship, to be precise, and fans have been wondering when they’d get to see him in action. Now, the wait is finally over. In a recent Instagram post, Zalatoris announced that he will be teeing it up at the 2025 Nedbank Golf Challenge, taking place from 4-7 December, which will be his first event back after undergoing back surgery in May. Although Zalatoris previously promised fans he’d be back in the fall season, it’s taken longer for him to recover, as it has been a tough year for him.

After re-herniating two discs in his back during the spring, he was forced to step away from the game. “This spring, I started feeling some discomfort and instability in my back that progressively got worse,” Zalatoris shared via Instagram at the time. “Following the PGA Championship, an MRI showed that I had re-herniated two discs. After discussing the options with my medical team, I underwent surgery last Friday with Dr. Michael Duffy at the Texas Back Institute.”

Now, after his surgery in May and nearly five months of recovery, he is all geared up to compete again. And his return couldn’t be at a better stage. The Nedbank Golf Challenge, held at the Gary Player Country Club in South Africa, is nicknamed “Africa’s Major,” and it’s a prestigious event on the DP World Tour, offering $6 million in prize money and attracting many of the world’s top players. For Zalatoris, returning to a tournament honoring Gary Player feels fitting, and there’s no better place he could have done this.

Before stepping away and undergoing surgery, Zalatoris had played in nearly 11 events, his last being at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. He missed the cut there, after shooting 6-over par over two days, making it his second missed cut of the year (the first being the Masters). But even though Will Zalatoris managed to make the cut in the rest of the events in the year, his performance was mediocre to say the least. No top ten finishes, and his best was a tied 12th finish at the 2025 American Express.

But this year wasn’t the first time Zalatoris had to step away from the game. He had already missed eight months of competition in 2023 following a microdiscectomy. That surgery came after he withdrew from the 2023 Masters just before his opening round, opting for the procedure less than 48 hours later. And his back issues go back even further.

He pulled out of the 2022 FedExCup Playoffs after suffering two herniated discs during the BMW Championship, just a week after earning his maiden Tour victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. At the time, he was leading the FedExCup and ranked inside the top 10 in the world. Even last year, Zalatoris was forced to withdraw from the Rocket Classic due to a hip injury. It’s just been a series of constant physical setbacks for Will Zalatoris, but now he’s finally ready to turn the page.

But joining Will Zalatoris will be several other big names, who have already confirmed their participation in the prestigious DP World Tour event.

Several Big Names to Join Will Zalatoris at the Nedbank Golf Challenge

The 2025 Nedbank Golf Challenge will definitely be one of the most exciting editions yet, as several international and local stars will be in the mix at Sun City. One of the most prominent names is Viktor Hovland, who will be making his debut at the event.

“I’m excited to tee it up at the Nedbank Golf Challenge for the first time this December… It’s an event that has a lot of history, a great list of winners, and, of course, in honor of Gary Player, so I’m sure it will be a great week,” said Hovland. His presence brings a fresh edge to the tournament, which already boasts a reputation as one of the highlights on the DP World Tour calendar.

The local talent will be represented by South African golfer Aldrich Potgieter, who returns after nearly winning the event in his debut last year. Potgeiter was personally invited by Gary Player last year to compete in the event, and he held a three-shot lead going into the final round before finishing tied second to Johannes Veerman, who will also be in the field this year.

Now the youngest South African winner in PGA Tour history, and the country’s highest-ranked player, Potgieter is expected to be one of the main attractions at Sun City. “My first experience of the Nedbank Golf Challenge last year was so memorable… I can’t wait to get back to Sun City and experience it all again,” he said.

Joining Hovland and the rest are Corey Conners, Thriston Lawrence, Dylan Naidoo, and Daniel van Tonder, who qualified as the Sunshine Tour’s Order of Merit leader. With talent coming in from all corners, and the return of Will Zalatoris in the mix, this year’s field is as strong as it is exciting.