Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Justin Thomas shares recovery update after back surgery frustrations

Originally posted on HITC | By Lee Connor | Last updated Nov 21, 2025 7:38 PM ET

Injuries are always tough for golfers, and Justin Thomas looks to be having a rough start to his latest rehab.

Thomas recently announced that he underwent back surgery and appears to be facing a lengthy absence.

He hasn’t set a timeline for his comeback. Even though fans would love to see him back in action at the start of the 2026 PGA Tour season, it’s hard to see that happening anytime soon.

But with the operation out of the way, Thomas is now focused on getting through the early days of his rehab. Taking to Instagram, he shared a post that read:

Justin Thomas opens up about early frustrations during injury recovery

Back pain is difficult enough to deal with on its own, but the rehabilitation that comes with back surgery adds another layer of challenge entirely.

Tiger Woods, who is a close friend of Thomas, has gone through several serious back problems in his career, so there’s plenty of experience to draw from if needed.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Now it appears Justin Thomas is finding the early days of his recovery process more challenging than he expected. The two-time major winner posted an update on Instagram just over a week post-op:

“8 days post surgery…first two weeks my instructions are ‘do nothing’. No bending, lifting, or twisting. Definitely not getting stir crazy. Everything is fine, I’m fine.”

What to expect from Justin Thomas’ return

Coming back from back surgery is always a tall order, and for Thomas, it’s even more frustrating given the form he showed throughout 2025.

Thomas found his way back into the winner’s circle with a victory at the RBC Heritage and earned his place in Keegan Bradley’s Ryder Cup team without much trouble.

As the ’25 season wrapped up, there was real optimism that Thomas was poised to hit top form again once 2026 began.

This is a setback he didn’t need. And while time off could help in the long run, regaining full strength might take weeks or even months.

We did see both Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele return from injury layoffs in 2025 and still play at a high level. Thomas will be looking to follow that example when he finally makes it back onto the course.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: