Page 29 - Golf Champion - February 2022

Zalatoris and List finished regulation at 15-under 273, held him back as a pro.
setting up the fourth playoff in the last 11 years at the At the outset of his career, in 2007, List made four PGA
Farmers. Zalatoris shot a nervy final-round 71, finishing TOUR starts and missed the cut in all four. The next year
with 12 straight pars. he played in the European Tour’s Russian Open, which
Zalatoris, last season’s Rookie of the Year and Masters wasn’t going to make much noise Stateside even if he
runner-up, will lament his final shot of regulation. The won, but he missed that cut, too.
8-footer left his putter straight, but slowed and hopped His athleticism, and smaller victories, kept him going.
abruptly to the left in the final inches. He won on the Hooters Tour in ’09. He led the driving
Then there was Luke List, 37, who was off by himself distance stat when he made it to the Korn Ferry Tour,
hitting balls. He’d shot 66 and had to wait nearly two where he won in 2012. He won again on that circuit at
hours to see if it was enough for a playoff, which somehow the 2020 Korn Ferry Challenge at TPC Sawgrass, beating
made sense for a guy who has made his living mostly out Zalatoris, among others in the Return to Golf after a long
of the spotlight. Sometimes way out of the spotlight. pandemic break.
With his first victory in his 206th career start, List moves Oh, and List also made the FedExCup Playoffs the last six
to fourth in the FedExCup. It’s been a long and winding years running.
road. When it was, Zalatoris missing his birdie attempt to
The only non-swimmer in a family of collegiate superstars extend the playoff – his ball veering left of the cup, just
in the pool – parents, sisters – List chose golf. He is a as his birdie try from the same line had at the end of
big, broad-shouldered athlete who looks like he just regulation – List had done it.
wandered in off a baseball field, possessed of the kind of His wife, Chloe, 3-year-old daughter, Ryann, and 7-month-
big game that is beyond the reach of mere mortals. But old son, Harrison, ran onto the green for a hard-won
success was hardly assured. Sure enough, although he celebration that only the adults could fully appreciate.
starred at Vanderbilt and finished runner-up in the 2004 “Yeah, she's been talking about it for a while,” List said. “I
U.S. Amateur, he had a glaring weaknesses, putting, that don't know when it first started.”

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