Justin Thomas makes unfortunate announcement ahead of 2026 season

Justin Thomas has been dealt a brutal blow ahead of the 2026 PGA Tour season after undergoing a microdiscectomy on Thursday at the world-renowned Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Thomas, 32, has been battling nagging hip pain for months, and after the discomfort continued to worsen, an MRI finally revealed a disc issue that needed immediate attention. 

Justin Thomas to miss start of 2026 season

The surgery was successful, but the timing is a gut punch for Thomas—and for fans hoping to see him early next season.

Thomas broke the news himself in a video on social media, which you can watch below, pairing it with a lengthy and emotional update:

"Life update - 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. I had a successful microdiscectomy performed yesterday at Hospital for Special Surgery in NY and have already been released from the hospital. I’m so grateful to the doctors and staff there for all their hard work and support. My next few weeks will be a lot of resting before the rehab process begins. I have a great team behind me who I fully trust to get me back to a better place than I was before! Before you ask, I’m not putting any tournament on the calendar or 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. 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."

Watch JT's video post here:

Thomas' unfortunate update comes a month after his close friend and golf legend Tiger Woods revealed he had undergone the seventh back surgery of his career, this time a lumbar disc replacement in his L4/5 spine. 

Early medical opinion suggests the 15-time major champion may not return until The Masters in April, leaving two of golf’s biggest names sidelined at the same time.

But back to the top of the story, and it's a frustrating setback for Thomas, who was quietly enjoying one of his best runs in years. 

Thomas made 19 of 21 cuts on the PGA Tour in 2025, racked up eight top-10 finishes, recorded three runner-up results, and snapped his winless drought with a long-awaited victory at the RBC Heritage in April.

We last saw the World No. 8 at Bethpage Black, where he went 2–2 in the Ryder Cup. But sadly for JT, Europe edged the Americans 15–13.

Prior to the Ryder Cup, JT took to social media to reveal a shocking bruise to his forehead after playing with his daughter Molly Grace.

Thomas had also been one of the marquee names set to tee it up in this month’s revived Skins Game, the first edition since 2008, alongside Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood, and Keegan Bradley. 

JT's replacement has yet to be announced—though organisers will now be scrambling for a big name to fill that gap. 

The Skins Game takes place on 28 November. 

For now, Thomas is heading for weeks of rest, months of rehab, and an uncertain timetable. 

But if his message is anything to go by, he’s determined to return “to a better place than I was before.”

I think all of us are hoping that wil be the case, as the PGA Tour is a much better place with a fit and healthy JT on the scene.