Unfortunate news for Justin Thomas fans! As the American was preparing to make his long-awaited comeback, a health setback has stalled his calendar. Sharing the news, the American revealed he will be out of contention, not just for weeks, but months.

Shooting a video from the New York hospital where he was admitted, Thomas announced that he had just undergone a microdiscectomy. “I’ve had some nagging hip pain for a handful of months and after some time off and worsening symptoms, an MRI showed I had a disc problem that needed to be treated,” the caption of the video said. “I had a successful microdiscectomy performed yesterday at Hospital for Special Surgery in NY…”

As the Ryder Cupper thanked the medical staff for their help, he broke the bigger headline. Thomas has not put any date on his timetable for a return. As of now, rest and patience will take priority for the 29-year-old.

“Before you ask, I’m not putting any tournament on the calendar or a specific time for returning. While I will miss some events in the beginning of 2026, I want to be very smart and patient in letting my disc fully heal so it isn’t an issue again,” he explained.

The start of his hiatus will be soon. Thomas was set to participate in the Skins Game starting on November 28th. He, alongside notable names like Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood, and Keegan Bradley, was all ready to revive the event. However, as the PGA Tour reports, Thomas has withdrawn from the event. Following that, he was also in contention at the Hero World Challenge in December.

Although this is not the first time Thomas has been missing events due to an injury. In 2019, he missed the Wells Fargo Championship and withdrew from the PGA Championship due to a wrist and shoulder injury. Yet, the “dead-arm sensation” he felt at that time is not comparable to this back injury, which is much severe.

But it is not a worrisome aspect. Microdisectomies are not new in professional golf. Tiger Woods has gone through several of those, starting in 2014. He again went through a lumbar disc replacement this October, which was a much more extensive back procedure. Will Zalatoris, too, had a microdiscectomy in 2023. Thomas now adds his name to that list.

For him, though, this could be a challenging time, as he delivered an impressive season. From the 21 starts Justin Thomas had, he made cuts in 19. That included eight top-10s and three runner-up finishes. He clinched his RBC Heritage victory and was one of Bradley’s 12-member squad at the Ryder Cup. There, he scored a singles win over Fleetwood, giving the European his only loss on the course.

“I’m very lucky that the game of golf allows us to play at a high level for a long time, and that’s what I plan on doing – this procedure will allow me to do that injury-free in the future. Can’t wait to see y’all back out there,” Thomas concluded.

While one could only hope for Thomas’ timely recovery, the doubt remains regarding his comeback.

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When could Justin Thomas tee up again officially?

Recovering from a microdiscectomy is different for everyone, and Justin Thomas clarified that he’s not pressuring himself with any set deadlines. But if one considers an average patient, walking begins on the same day as surgery, while full recovery takes six weeks. As Thomas could be seen standing in his video, it seems his rehabilitation process has started. Yet, pro athletes do operate differently.

Research on more than 600 elite athletes shows a roughly five months, as average timeline of return. But there are a few who come back as early as one month, while others at times require fifteen! For a golfer, this window can fall somewhere in the 2-3 months.

So for Thomas, this will overlap with the start of the 2026 PGA Tour season, as he says himself. The season begins on January 15 with the Sony Open. That’s a tournament Thomas won in 2017, but will most likely miss this time. Then comes the Signature Events, first of which is the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Following it is the Genesis Invitational, a week later.

Considering Thomas’ surgery took place in November, a highly optimistic return would land him somewhere around February. But if one were being conservative, it could even be at the start of March. It all depends on his rehab progression and how his body reacts.