In a social media post, Thomas said he has been dealing with “persistent hip pain” for a few months and underwent a successful microdiscectomy in New York to fix the issue on Thursday. He added that he will spend the next few weeks resting before beginning the rehabilitation process.
“Life update: I have had persistent hip pain for several months and after some time of downtime and worsening symptoms, an MRI showed I had a disc problem that needed treatment,” Thomas wrote. “I had a successful microdiscectomy yesterday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and have since been discharged from the hospital. I am very grateful to the doctors and staff there for all their hard work and support.”
In the post, Thomas declined to provide a timeline for his return, stating that he wanted to return at full strength at his own pace.
“Before you ask, I won’t be putting any tournaments on the calendar or a specific date to return. While I will miss some events in early 2026, I want to be very smart and patient in letting my disc fully heal so it doesn’t become an issue again,” Thomas said.
Thomas’ last competition was at the Ryder Cup in September, which Team Europe eventually won despite the late advance of several Americans, including Thomas.
Advertisement
Although Thomas chooses to be vague about his return, his rehabilitation process will mean he will have to withdraw from the Skins Games, which will return later this month. The Skins Game will air on Prime Video on Black Friday (November 28), with Tommy Fleetwood, Keegan Bradley, Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele announced as the four competitors. With Thomas retiring, it’s unclear who will fill the final spot.
The 2026 season begins January 15-18 with the Sony Open in Hawaii. Multiple major events, such as the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational, take place early in the season, leading to key events such as The Players Championship in March and the Masters in April.