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Will Zalatoris returned to competitive golf last week at the Nedbank Golf Challenge after months away. His last tournament was the 2025 PGA Championship, and this wasn’t just any other comeback. The time away for him was a mental and physical battle, and in a recent Instagram post, he finally shared what this comeback truly meant to him.

“Man is it’s great to be competing again… The last four years have been as tough mentally as they have been physically. Nearly four years of grinding and playing through back pain and numbness have finally subsided with the work we have done after this last surgery… It’s nice to LIVE without pain, let alone be able to play golf without pain. Having confidence in your body gives you confidence in your mind,” Zalatoris wrote.

He hadn’t played since May, and his long recovery after his disc-replacement surgery kept him away far longer than he’d hoped. One photo he shared said it all, which was his first steps post-surgery. “It is a photo I’ve looked at a lot recently. It’s a photo of my first steps after getting my discs replaced. It’s a photo that’s a reflection of everything I’ve been through the last 4 years… I cannot wait to get home and get to work for the 2026 season…” he continued.

Through the post, Zalatoris poured out relief that he is back to playing again and is fit and sound mentally. But he also had immense gratitude for everything and his team, who helped him get back in shape over the last few months. Their guidance, encouragement, and hands-on work over the past six months were crucial in helping him regain not just physical health but also mental clarity.

But through the words he penned down, he made it clear that it wasn’t about returning to the course for him. It was about reclaiming normalcy after months and years of struggle, as this was not the first time he was sidelined. Last year, he was forced to withdraw from the Rocket Classic due to a hip injury.

Then, in 2023, he had missed out on playing for nearly 8 months following a microdiscectomy. He underwent the surgery just within 48 hours of withdrawing from the opening round of the 2023 Masters. In fact, even the year before, he pulled out of the 2022 FedExCup Playoffs after suffering two herniated discs during the BMW Championship. It was just a week after earning his maiden Tour victory at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship.

After such a challenging stretch, his return to competitive golf at the 2025 Nedbank Golf Challenge was a testament to his resilience. Playing at the Gary Player Country Club, Zalatoris managed a steady 7-under across four days, finishing solo 15th among the 65-player field. His stellar performance was probably a result of his mindset before the event, as he admitted that this return felt like a “rebirth” for him.

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Will Zalatoris believes his latest comeback is equivalent to a “rebirth”

Playing the Nedbank Golf Challenge as a tournament invitee in a limited DP World Tour field, Zalatoris described the return to play as a “rebirth” before the event kicked off. Reflecting on his recovery, he told the DP World Tour —

“You know, I battled it for about four years… essentially, I had gotten to a point where I was bone on bone and needed some help. And so the fake discs have been incredible… This one was almost like a rebirth, where I’m waking up feeling taller, feeling more structured in my back, and it’s made my golf swing better without even making some changes.”

Before his injury struggles, the 29-year-old had been a consistent force in golf, finishing in the top ten in six of nine Majors from 2020 to 2022, including three runner-up finishes. But years of pain and setbacks had taken their toll, making his return at the Gary Player Country Club feel far more significant than just another tournament.

For Zalatoris, this return doesn’t just mark the end of physical pain, but it’s a level of health and confidence he hadn’t felt for years. “I know for a few years, I would kind of just say, ‘oh, yeah, I’m doing OK, I’m doing pretty good’. But this is… if that was my 100%, this is like 150%,” he said, underlining just how transformative the process has been.

In fact, his finish this year was better than his performance last year. It was his first appearance last year at what they call South Africa’s major, and he finished tied 18th. So, last week’s performance not only marked a personal milestone in his recovery but also hinted at the promise of what’s to come as he looks ahead to the 2026 season.