2024 Players Championship: Top 10 power rankings at TPC Sawgrass

Will Zalatoris doesn’t necessarily have an eye-popping resume at the Players Championship, but three made cuts in as many attempts, as well as strong recent form, make him a tantalizing pick this week.

Zalatoris was struggling in his return from a back injury that sidelined him for nearly nine months.

Some rust was understandable. Especially with his putting continuing to be a sore spot, it was hard for him to string good rounds together.

Zalatoris is too talented of a player to stay down for long as long as his health is back in order.

He began to pick up momentum with T-34th in January at The American Express. It was nothing special, but it had to feel better than a missed cut the previous week at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

The former Wake Forest Demon Deacon kept leveling up. He recorded a T-13th the next week at Torrey Pines.

Zalatoris kept it going a couple weeks later to post his highest finish since his win at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship. He took T-2nd at the Genesis Invitational.

It’s not always easy to continue good form from the West Coast swing to the Florida swing.

Zalatoris took a couple weeks off and contended at another signature event. He carded 69-69-71-72 in difficult conditions to take T-4th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The 27-year-old ranks seventh on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Total (1.344) as well as in SG: Tee-to-Green (1.252). He’s ninth in average proximity from the fairway (30’). 

Zalatoris’ debut in Ponte Vedra Beach came in 2021. Rounds of 70-71-70-71 netted him solo 21st.

The next year, 69-71-70-74 was good for T-26th. In his penultimate start before shutting it down for the season in 2023, Zalatoris managed 74-71-74-77 for 73rd.

“It's a place I love,” Zalatoris was transcribed last week by ASAP Sports speaking about TPC Sawgrass. “It's one of my favorite golf courses all year. It's one of the purest golf courses we play on top of that, so looking forward to the challenge.”