Words FERGUS BISSET
Heading into the 150th Open at St Andrews, Will Zalatoris had finished as runner-up in the previous two Majors. He’d lost to Justin Thomas in a play-off for the PGA Championship at Southern Hills and been pipped by a shot – that shot being Matt Fitzpatrick’s ‘wonder from the bunker’ – in the US Open at Brookline. Zalatoris was one of the real form players and a clear Major specialist going into St Andrews. But pre-tournament, he was able to walk around town and not be swamped by fans and photographers as other big-name players would have been. He went to the Dunvegan pub, for dinner at Little Italy and played casual practice rounds accompanied by dog-walking locals.
In his early-week press conference, only a relative handful of journalists sat in, asking unchallenging questions of the blonde-haired ‘kid’ on playing St Andrews on the computer, of his experiences in the town and seeing the Road Hole bunker. It was like he was just there on holiday. He answered politely and eloquently, if not exactly enthusiastically. Then, he was asked whether he would be happy to be 2nd again and Zalatoris let the cool façade slip a little.
“Of course I want to win,” he said. “That’s what motivates me. It’s why I get up early. Coming so close has fuelled my fire and I
