Will Zalatoris is highly experienced in playing in the most pressurized situations.

However, it was a practice round a few years ago that made Zalatoris more nervous than he had ever been before.

The 29-year-old from Dallas played alongside Tiger Woods during a practice round at Augusta National ahead of the 2024 Masters.

Zalatoris underwent back surgery for the second time last year and he will be hoping to take some positive strides out on the golf course this year when he returns to action.

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Woods, of course, knows all about the perils of undergoing back surgery. In fact, the 15-time major champion has gone under the knife seven times in an effort to improve his back problems.

The 50-year-old is definitely someone whom Zalatoris will be looking to for inspiration.

Woods is the 29-year-old’s hero, after all.

Will Zalatoris comments on Augusta practice round with Tiger Woods

Zalatoris has just opened up on a fantastic story involving Tiger Woods and Augusta National two years ago.

Zalatoris was asked when is the most nervous he has ever been on a golf course, when speaking on the Fried Egg Golf Podcast.

He said: “I got asked this literally two days ago, and we just kind of talked about it.

“It was literally playing that nine holes with Tiger on Monday (at Augusta National) because I was just so unprepared.

“You know, it’s like, all right, I’m gonna go kind of meander around Augusta, ease into my week.

“It’s a big week in general, and it turns into 10,000 people and playing with your, you know, long time hero, so it’s like, okay, I’m not ready for that.

“You know, most people would expect me to say, like, you know, a putt to win the US Open or whatever, and I’m like, no. Like, those, you’ve hit that putt in your mind a million times.

“Like, sometimes they go in, sometimes they don’t.“

Why wouldn’t Will Zalatoris have been nervous?

Zalatoris’ nine-hole practice round with Woods in 2024 was completely impromptu.

And it seems like that is why the Dallas native was so nervous.

“So, I mean, you know, I played with him in the US Open, and I think when I’m going about my business, it’s different, but when it was just so impromptu, I think that’s where I was like, ‘wow, I am nervous’.

“And I know that he would die laughing knowing that, but it’s like, you know, he’s him, and I’m playing the back nine at Augusta with my hero.

“Like, why wouldn’t I be nervous?“

He’s spot on there. The chance to play alongside your golfing hero at Augusta National – does it really get better than that? There’s a very good argument to be made that it doesn’t.