Will Zalatoris inspired by U.S. Ryder Cup win

JACKSON, Miss. – Will Zalatoris could point to a lot of factors that fueled his course-record, 11-under-par 61 in the second round of the Sanderson Farms Championship.

For starters, the reigning Rookie of the Year noticed he’d left a lot of 20-foot putts short last season, so he and coach Josh Gregory worked at it back in Dallas. Result: Zalatoris made 148 feet, 7 inches worth of putts Friday to grab the lead at 13 under.

“I think it's funny that I get given a hard time about my putting and if you add in Augusta last year, which didn't have Shot Link, I would have been a positive Strokes Gained putter,” he said. “Is it the prettiest? No. But am I productive? Yes.”

And as for motivation, look no further than the U.S. Team’s 19-9 route in the Ryder Cup at Wisconsin’s Whistling Straits last week. Zalatoris was watching, careful to catch every shot hit by American standouts Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth, friends since junior golf.

“I would be lying if I said I don't have a little fire in my belly after missing out and watching guys that I grew up with playing as a part of Team USA,” Zalatoris said after his 11-birdie, no-bogey round, “so hopefully down the road I'll be a part of that team.”

Could Zalatoris, 25, have played in Wisconsin? No doubt. His eight top-10s last season included a runner-up finish at the Masters Tournament, but a back injury at The Open Championship, where he was forced to withdraw, slowed him down. He also wasn’t eligible for the FedExCup Playoffs as a Special Temporary Member of the PGA TOUR.

In the end, that might have been a good thing, because what he really needed by then was rest, and he was able to take it. He said he is now “a hundred percent healthy” as he heads into a season in which his goal is simple: start winning. He certainly knows plenty about it.

Although he didn’t watch every shot of the U.S. Team’s coronation, he saw enough to catch the prevailing drift. Upon seeing that Scheffler had drawn world No. 1 Jon Rahm in singles, Zalatoris said he was confident the underdog would prevail. Why? Scheffler’s runner-up finish at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play last season didn’t hurt. Nor did his seven birdies in 15 holes to beat Aaron Wise at the 2016 NCAA Championship in Eugene.

“If I was a betting man, I would have put all my money on Scottie, just because he's a gamer,” Zalatoris said. “You saw what he did against Aaron Wise in Oregon's backyard. He's just always been that fiery competitor and the moment's never too big for him.

“He and I have had a lot of great battles literally since – we played together since we were nine years old,” he continued. “He's a guy that there's just never a moment that's too big and you think he's out of it, next thing you know he chips one in and makes a 30-footer. That's something he kind of mimics Jordan in that respect, too.”

Speaking of gamers, Zalatoris leads the field in Strokes Gained: Putting at the Country Club of Jackson. He is arguably be the best young American player without a victory. In the wake of Scheffler and Spieth enjoying their moment in the sun, and Zalatoris tying the Sanderson Farms tournament record, it seems likely that he will soon join them on prominent U.S. teams.

Game recognize game, as the kids say, for in golf, as in life, you are the company you keep.