'US Open 2nd Place' Zallatoris "Three Major Runner-ups"... What About The Open in July?

Second Place Again After Last April's Masters and Last Month's PGA Championship, Promising Redemption at the Final Major The Open

Will Zalatoris is disappointed as his birdie putt on the 18th hole on the final day of the 122nd US Open grazes the hole, leading to a playoff. Brooklyn, USA = Getty Images / Multibits Photo by Getty Images

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Still 2% short."

Will Zalatoris, last year's PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, once again finished second on the final day of the 122nd US Open (total prize money $17.5 million), the third major of this season, held on the 20th (Korean time) at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts (par 70, 7,264 yards). This marks his third runner-up finish in majors, following the Masters in April last year and the PGA Championship on the 23rd of last month. His overall record in nine majors includes six top-10 finishes.

At the PGA Championship, he bitterly lost after a three-hole playoff against Justin Thomas, and this time, his 4.3-meter birdie putt on the final 18th hole (par 4) just missed, sending the match to a playoff. This is why Zalatoris lamented, "This one hurts a bit." Including regular tournaments, the situation is even tougher. At the Farmers Insurance Open in January, he missed a 2.5-meter winning birdie putt on the final 18th hole (par 5), allowing Luke List (both from the USA) to force a playoff, which he eventually lost.

He is currently ranked 12th in the world without a win, and 6th in the money list with $6,441,000. The second-place prize money in this tournament was $1.56 million, equivalent to a regular tour winner's prize. Zalatoris, who said, "Every shot was good, and I fought like crazy," added, "I know I will win someday," and vowed to "wait for my turn." The final major, The Open Championship, will begin on the night of July 14 at the Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland.