Before they turned pro: Will Zalatoris

The meteoric rise of Will Zalatoris has caught a lot of pro golf fans off guard. On more than one occasion in this week's Masters telecast, Jim Nance has chronicled the "out-of-nowhere" story: from outside the world top 2000, to Monday qualifiers, to the Korn Ferry Tour money leader, to a T6 finish in the U.S. Open, to a final-group pairing in round three of the Masters.

But to those who followed his rise through the amateur ranks, the Wake Forest alum is far from an unknown. After all, he was the ACC Player of the Year, an All-American, a Walker Cupper, a U.S. Junior champion, and a winner of major amateur championships including two Trans-Mississippi Championships and the Pacific Coast Amateur, as well as the Texas Amateur.


Here are a few of the stories from our coverage of Will Zalatoris the amateur:

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  Will Zalatoris the Latest Walker Cupper to Turn Pro
  Dec 15, 2017 - The Wake Forest senior follows Walker Cup teammates Maverick McNealy and Cameron Champ into the pro ranks
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  Walker Cup Teammates Share Medalist Honors at Rod Myers
  Sep 17, 2017 - Will Zalatoris and Norman Xiong clear the field by three shots, but Zalatoris adds the team title as Wake Forest wins
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  Will Zalatoris will look to win his third Trans-Miss Title
  Jul 10, 2017 - Will Zalatoris is looking for a record third-straight title when the historic event tees of Tuesday at Prairie Dunes
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  Jack Nicklaus Award Finalists Announced
  May 25, 2017 - The finalist include Sam Burns, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Martin, Maverick McNealy and Will Zalatoris
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  Wake Forest Wins Rain Shortened General Hackler Championship
  Mar 12, 2017 - Will Zalatoris of Wake Forest won medalist honors for the third time in his career
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  Wake Forest junior Will Zalatoris named SGA's July Amateur of the Month
  Aug 10, 2016 - Will Zalatoris won both the Trans-Mississippi and Pacific Coast Amateur in July
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  William Zalatoris continues his stellar play in Pacific Coast Amateur win
  Jul 29, 2016 - Just a couple weeks after winning the Trans-Mississippi William Zalatoris wins yet another Major of Amateur Golf
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  Will Zalatoris Wins 113th Trans-Miss Amateur Championship
  Jul 14, 2016 - Will Zalatoris wins the Trans-Miss for a second time with a five-foot par save to win by one
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  Will Zalatoris wins Northern Trust Open Collegiate Showcase
  Feb 16, 2015 - Will Zalatoris, a freshman at Wake Forest, shot 67 on Monday at Riviera and will be in the field this week with PGA TOUR pros
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  DeChambeau, Zalatoris share 54-hole lead at Pacific Coast Amateur
  Jul 30, 2015 - Reigning NCAA individual champion Bryson DeChambeau joined Will Zalatoris at the top of the leaderboard in Eugene
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  USGA Player Profile: Will Zalatoris
  Dec 10, 2014 - Wake Forest freshman had a memorable 2014 that included wins at the US Junior and Trans Miss Amateur
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  Will Zalatoris wins U.S. Junior Amateur
  Jul 26, 2014 - Continuing what can only be described as a dream year, Will Zalatoris of Plano, Texas adds the U.S. Junior Amateur to his resume
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  Trans-Miss Amateur: Zalatoris wins rain-shortened event
  Jul 10, 2014 - After multiple attempts to get players on a rain-soaked Southern Hills fail, the final two rounds are called off and 36-hole leader Will Zalatoris is declared champion
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  Will Zalatoris wins Texas State Amateur
  Jun 15, 2014 - Zalatoris holds off a hard-charging Stratton Nolen to win the 105th playing of the Texas Amateur Championship