PGA Tour star confirms successful surgery after falling short of FedEx Cup finale

Jake Knapp has confirmed he has undergone successful surgery on his left thumb, with the one-time PGA Tour winner now facing a period of recovery after an injury-hit 2026 season.

Knapp shared the positive update during the week of the Tour Championship at East Lake, just days after his FedEx Cup campaign came to an end at the BMW Championship.

The 32-year-old required surgery to repair a ligament in his left thumb but has not revealed how long he expects to be away from competitive action.

His season had already been significantly disrupted by the injury, which forced him to miss several tournaments during the spring. 

"Earlier this morning I underwent surgery to repair a ligament in my left thumb," Knapp posted on Instagram with three photos.

"Happy to let you all know that everything was successful and I’ll be back to doing what I love soon!

"So thankful for my team and the doctors at HSS that helped get this done so I can get back to playing at 100%."

Knapp withdrew from three consecutive events – the Cadillac Championship, Truist Championship and PGA Championship – before eventually returning to competition at the U.S Open in June following roughly two months on the sidelines.

Despite those setbacks, Knapp still managed to produce some of the best golf of his career during 2026.

He made an excellent start to the year, recording five consecutive finishes of T11 or better before missing the cut at The Players Championship. 

Knapp bounced back immediately with a T6 at the Texas Children's Houston Open before adding a solo 11th at The Masters.

That result at famed Augusta National was particularly significant, securing Knapp an automatic exemption into the 2027 Masters.

There were further signs of a late-season recovery, with Knapp finishing T13 at the 3M Open and T7 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

However, his FedEx Cup ambitions ultimately fell short at Bellerive Country Club last week. 

Knapp entered the BMW Championship with an outside chance of breaking into the top 30 and qualifying for the Tour Championship, but a tie for 41st was not enough. 

He finished 38th in the final FedEx Cup standings and consequently missed out on this week's season-ending event at East Lake.

Knapp is currently ranked 49th in the world, while his PGA Tour résumé includes one victory – his breakthrough at the 2024 Mexico Open, which came during his rookie season.

He has also developed a significant following among golf fans, with his smooth and effortless-looking swing becoming one of his most recognisable characteristics.

With the main PGA Tour season now drawing to a close, Knapp has time on his side. 

His position in the FedEx Cup standings means he has already secured places in next year's signature events, removing much of the need to rush his comeback.

For now, the priority will be allowing the surgery to heal properly before turning his attention towards a return to the PGA Tour.