FedExCup leader Will Zalatoris withdraws from BMW Championship with back issue

WILMINGTON, Del. – FedExCup leader Will Zalatoris has withdrawn from the BMW Championship early in the third round with a back complaint, virtually assuring he will surrender the top seed ahead of the TOUR Championship.

Zalatoris moved to the top spot in the standings with his win in the Playoff opening FedEx St. Jude Championship last week in Memphis but walked off Wilmington Country Club after four holes on Saturday.

The 26-year-old called for treatment on his back during the round after an early birdie moved him to four under for the week, just four shots back of the 36-hole leader Adam Scott.

But despite some vigorous stretching and attempted manipulations he was unable to get things well enough to continue, and it is now almost certain he will lose the top seed for the TOUR Championship and could yet drop to third.

“Will tweaked his lower back during a shot on the 3rd hole today,” Zalatoris’ agent Allen Hobbs said via statement.

“After getting it worked on and the pain not subsiding, he felt that it was best to withdraw from the BMW Championship so he can work with his trainer the next few days to get the inflammation to calm down. Will looks forward to playing next week in Atlanta.”This is just the second WD of Zalatoris’ young TOUR career having previously done so at the 2021 Open Championship with a wrist injury. There was no official statement from his camp at this stage.

Scottie Scheffler is just 124.116 FedExCup points behind Zalatoris, a deficit he would likely make up with a top 25 finish. Scheffler started the third round one shot off the lead in a tie for second. Zalatoris could also slide to third if any players seeded fourth through 15th win this weekend and Scheffler is inside the top 25.

The top seed at next week’s TOUR Championship will start the chase for the FedExCup and $18 million bonus at 10-under with second seed 8-under, third 7-under, fourth 6-under, and fifth at 5-under. Starting strokes continue to apply based on seedings with 6-10 at 4-under, 11-15 at 3-under, 16-20 at 2-under, 21-25 at 1-under and 26-30 at even par.