Will Zalatoris Explains Loss Of 12-15 Yards After Subtle Equipment Change

Will Zalatoris has revealed the driver change that has produced a more well-rounded game as he continued his impressive comeback from back surgery in the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Zalatoris was sidelined for more than nine months with two herniated discs that required surgery, eventually making his return at the Hero World Challenge towards the end of 2023. 

The American looked back to his best at last month's Genesis Invitational where he notched up a T2 finish and is back in contention this week at Bay Hill following a spirited finish to his round to card a three-under-par 69 on Thursday.

Zalatoris already made one noticeable change upon his return to Tour action, debuting a broomstick putter to aid his back and try to improve upon his statistically below-average putting. 

And the World No. 34 has revealed he is now also using a shorter driver, returning to a 44.5-inch driver shaft and trading some distance off the tee with improved accuracy.

"I'm playing a shorter driver. I played a 44 and a half [inch] driver pretty much my whole life. I played a 46 in 2022 when I had a great year. Then went back to the 44 and a half," he said, speaking after his first round.

"I would love to go back to that 46, just to add another 12, 15 yards, but I never really was that great with hitting fairways, and so far, so good with hitting fairways. In reality, even though I'm losing distance, I'm hitting more fairways, so I'm kind of netting everything out."

Zalatoris was one of the game's most consistent ball-strikers, ranking first in strokes gained Tee-to-Green in the 2021-22 season prior to his surgery. Now hitting his stride again, the 27-year-old admits he has gone back to basics and aimed to keep things as simple as possible with his swing. 

"Now, I'm just trying to kind of hit basically three shots where it's just a little cut to take off distance, a little draw to maybe add a little bit of distance, and then just try to hit simple straight shots from there," he added.

"I used to move the ball a lot more prior to surgery, but now it's just a lot more simple, which is great. I also used to be really high hands, very vertical, I would thrust my right knee at the ball, and I would have a big side bend. 

"Right now I flare both my feet out and try to get as horizontal as I can, get as much rotation. It's kind of fun now having, looking at videos and my driver's actually been the longest in terms of where it is at the top that it's been really ever. Like I said, it's just simplifying everything that we can."