Will Zalatoris withdraws from BMW Championship with back injury

Will Zalatoris withdrew during the third round of BMW Championship on Saturday due to a back injury.

Zalatoris shot a 3-under-par 139 over the first two rounds to enter play on Saturday five shots behind leader Adam Scott of Australia.

He was four shots back when he appeared to sustain his injury after teeing off on the fourth hole Saturday. He gingerly walked down the fairway and finished the hole, however attempts to stretch himself out prior to the fifth hole did not go well and he opted to withdraw from the tournament.

Zalatoris is coming off recording his first PGA Tour title this past weekend. He defeated Austrian Sepp Straka in a playoff on Sunday to win the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tenn.

Zalatoris, who turned 26 on Tuesday, is ranked ninth in the world.

He is best known for several close misses at major championships early in his career. He finished second at the 2021 Masters before he was technically a full PGA Tour member.

This year, he finished second at the PGA Championship by losing to Justin Thomas in a playoff and tied for second at the U.S. Open.