Zalatoris Claims FedEx St. Jude Championship
8/14/2022 7:16:00 PM | Men's Golf
The Wake Forest golf alum moves to first in the FedEx Cup standings after his first career victory on the PGA Tour.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – After multiple runner-up finishes in major championships this year, Wake Forest men's golf alum Will Zalatoris claimed his first career PGA Tour victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship Sunday afternoon.
This marked the third time this season including at the Farmers Insurance Open and PGA Championship that Zalatoris went to a playoff and defeated Sepp Straka on the third playoff hole at TPC Southwind.
With the victory, Zalatoris jumped into first place in the FedEx Cup standings with two events remaining in the playoffs, taking the lead over Scottie Scheffler by 124 points. The next closest player in the standings is over 1,000 points behind Zalatoris.
The playoffs continue this week at the BMW Championship in Wilmington, Del. Only 70 players remain in the chase for the FedEx Cup and will comprise the field at the BMW Championship. Zalatoris will be joined in Delaware by former Wake Forest teammate Cameron Young who is 13th in the standings after the St. Jude Championship.
Webb Simpson was eliminated from the playoffs this week after finishing 122nd in the standings this season.
The top 30 players in the FedEx Cup Standings following the BMW Championship will advance to the final leg of the playoffs at the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta from August 24 to 28.
A Victory to Remember
Going into the week, Zalatoris had eight top-10 finishes including three runner-up finishes to his credit this season. Additionally, he was ranked No. 12 in the FedEx Cup standings heading into his first playoff of his young PGA Tour career.
Despite having a PGA Tour Rookie of the Year season a year ago, the 2021-22 season marked the first year he was a full card carrying member on tour.
After an opening round 71, Zalatoris continued to climb the leaderboard at TPC Southwind in Memphis all week long. He soared with the help of a 63 (-7) to get himself in contention. The Wake Forest All-American moved to tied for third entering the final round at 11-under-par going into the final round Sunday and in the penultimate group.
Zalatoris jumped up the leaderboard and claimed the individual lead at 14-under-par with a birdie-birdie-birdie start to the day. There the lead would remain as multiple players would come up and tie for the lead but never overtook Zalatoris.
He entered the turn with the solo lead, but Sepp Straka quickly tied for the lead. Zalatoris took a one-shot lead heading into the final two holes of the tournament.
After his drive ended up in the bunker on 18, Zalatoris took two strokes to reach the green and after a clutch putt to secure his place in the playoff with Straka.
Both players parred the first hole and played the 18th for the second consecutive playoff hole. Zalatoris got an unlucky bounce off the cart path on his tee shot and had to lay up to the fairway. Straka had to take a penalty stroke as well and both players landed on the green in three shots.
After both Zalatoris and Straka made their putt, the playoff went to a third hole, the par-3 11th. Playing first, Zalatoris' tee shot bounced and came to rest just before the water hazard nestled between the lip and the rock wall.
Straka's tee shot struck the side of the hill and bounced back, finding the water. Straka was away on the next two shots and finally reached the green on his fourth stroke. At this point, Zalatoris took a penalty and went back to the drop zone. He landed it within 10 feet on his third stroke.
Zalatoris sunk the putt to claim his first PGA Tour victory and move into first place in the FedEx Cup standings by 124 points.
