LIV Golf pro to miss the rest of the season after undergoing back surgery

LIV Golf's Abraham Ancer says he'll be taking the rest of the year off after undergoing successful back surgery.

The 35-year-old has enjoyed a fairly solid season on the breakaway tour but revealed in an Instagram post on Friday that he's been playing with severe back pain over the last few years.

Former PGA Tour pro Ancer said he has been attempting to delay the decision to go under the knife for as long as he could but ultimately knew that surgery was the only option.

Ancer will now take the rest of the year off.

In a lengthy statement accompanying a photograph of Ancer in a hospital gown and wearing a back brace, he said:

For the last few years, I’ve been playing through back pain and trying to find ways to manage it, hoping I could keep playing and make it work. With the help of Christian (my PT) and my team I was able to produce solid seasons and delay this decision as long as I did. Deep down I knew it wasn’t going to be sustainable for the long term.

While I made every effort to avoid it, it became apparent that surgery was the only option.

As much as I love playing and would like to keep going the rest of the year, I made the difficult decision to step away and take care of myself. It wasn’t an easy choice, but I know it’s the right one for my long-term health.

I’m looking forward to this next phase of my career. Today im focused on giving myself the time I need to heal and rehab as I work to return to the game I love. I’m going to do everything I can to come back stronger and healthier. I believe my best golf is yet to come.

A huge thank you to Dr. Michael Duffy and the entire staff at Baylor Uptown Medical Center for taking such great care of me during the procedure and throughout my recovery so far. I’m very grateful to be in such good hands.

For now, it’s one day at a time. ❤️
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Ancer has established himself as one of Mexico's leading golfers.

He played on the PGA Tour at the beginning of his career and recorded a breakthrough victory at the 2021 FedEx St. Jude Invitational in Memphis.

Ancer, who has also represented the International team at the Presidents Cup and his nation at the Olympics, joined LIV Golf in 2022.

He initially joined Sergio Garcia's Fireballs team but was traded to Joaquin Niemann's Torque GC for the 2026 season.

LIV Golf brought the curtain down on its campaign last week in Indianapolis.

Jon Rahm's Legion XIII enjoyed team success, while young American Michael La Sasso recorded his first win as a professional.

LIV's future remains far from certain. In April, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) withdrew its financial support for the tour.

Their CEO, Scott O'Neil, has said the league has signed a term sheet with a new lead investor to take LIV forward in 2027 and beyond, but the deal has yet to be finalised.

Finalising the transaction may prove tricky as the new structure hinges on player buy-in.

Some players appear committed to a revamped LIV Golf 2.0, while others appear destined for the exit door.

Ancer has not publicly discussed his future plans.