Justin Thomas has announced he has undergone successful surgery to fix a disc in his spine. The 32-year-old golfer said the procedure will keep him out of the 2026 PGA Tour, although he is unsure of the exact timing.
In a message to social mediaThomas said he has been suffering from “a nagging hip pain” for several months and that he underwent a successful microdiscectomy in New York on Thursday to correct the problem. He added that he would spend the next few weeks resting before starting the rehabilitation process.
“Life update: I had nagging pain in my hip for several months, and after some time off and worsening symptoms, an MRI showed that I had a disc problem that needed to be treated,” Thomas wrote. “Yesterday I had a successful microdiscectomy at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and have since been released from the hospital. I am so grateful to the doctors and staff for all their hard work and support.”
In his post, Thomas declined to give a timeline for his return, saying he wants to return to full strength at his own pace.
“Before you ask, I am not putting any tournaments or specific times on the calendar to return. Although I will miss some activities in early 2026, I want to be very smart and patient to allow my disc to fully heal so this is no longer an issue,” Thomas said.
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Thomas' last competition was at the Ryder Cup in September. which Team Europe eventually won despite a late surge in activity from several Americans, including Thomas.
Although Thomas prefers not to reveal information about his return, the process of his rehabilitation will mean that he will have to withdraw from Skins Games, which is going back later this month. The Skins game will go live Prime Video on Black Friday (November 28), with Tommy Fleetwood, Keegan Bradley, Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele announced as the four participants. With Thomas out, it's unclear who will take the final spot.
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The 2026 season begins Jan. 15-18 with the Sony Open in Hawaii. Several major events, such as the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational, will take place early in the season, leading to key events such as The Players Championship in March and the Masters in April.
