Frustrated Justin Thomas shares injury recovery update after undergoing back surgery

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Being injured is a nightmare for any professional golfer and Justin Thomas seems to be struggling in the opening weeks of his latest recovery.

Thomas confirmed he’d had back surgery last week and looks set to miss a prolonged period as it stands.

There isn’t a timeline on Thomas’ return – words from the man himself – and while we’d all love to see him ready for the opening week of PGA Tour action in 2026, it seems unlikely given the nature of the injury.

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Nevertheless, the surgery has been done and now, Thomas is in the initial phase of his recovery.

And taking to Instagram, it appears the two-time major winner is struggling a touch with the doctor’s orders!

Justin Thomas suggests he’s already frustrated with his latest injury

Having a bad or sore back is bad enough at the best of times. Having to undergo back surgery and the rehab that goes with it is the stuff of nightmares.

Justin Thomas knows full well through seeing his good friend Tiger Woods suffer that back injuries can be a problem to overcome.

Now, taking to his personal Instagram page, Thomas has suggested that he’s finding the opening weeks of his recovery a little bit tricky.

“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.”

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Can Justin Thomas return better than ever in 2026?

It’s a big ask really coming off the back of back surgery and also a real shame for Thomas given how he’d played in 2025.

Thomas got himself back in the winner’s circle by winning the RBC Heritage and played his way comfortably into Keegan Bradley’s Ryder Cup squad.

Going into the off-season for ’25, it looked like we might well be ready to see the very best of Thomas once again once 2026 got underway.

However, this is a setback he simply didn’t need and while the time off and rest and recuperation that comes with it might well help, he’ll likely need weeks, if not months, to get back to his full potential.

Of course, we saw Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele recover from injuries in 2025 and perform well.

Thomas, then, will be hoping he can follow in his Ryder Cup teammates’ footsteps.