American golfer Justin Thomas, ranked eighth in the world, has undergone back surgery for a herniated disc, which will prevent him from playing in the first tournaments of next season.
Thomas, 32, winner of the PGA Championship in 2017 and 2012, had surgery at a New York hospital due to hip pain he had been experiencing for several months. The worsening of his symptoms forced him to take time off in recent weeks, as he explained on his social media accounts.
Justin Thomas, results
An MRI revealed the disc problem, which required treatment and a microdiscectomy. He has now been discharged from the hospital.
"I'll dedicate the next few weeks to resting before starting rehabilitation. I have a great team supporting me, and I have complete confidence in them to make a full recovery," said the Kentucky player, who has participated four times with the United States team in the Ryder Cup.
Regarding when he might return to competition, Thomas was cautious: "I don't have any fixed date for my return, or for any tournament. While I will miss some events in early 2026, I want to be prudent and patient so that my disc heals completely and I don't have any further problems. I'm very fortunate that golf allows us to play at a high level for a long time, and that's what I plan to do so I can play injury-free in the future."
The Rules of Golf are a set of standards and procedures by which the sport of golf should be played. They are jointly written and administered by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, the governing body of golf worldwide, except in the United States and Mexico, which are governed by the United States Golf Association. An expert committee composed of members of the R&A and the USGA oversees and refines the rules every four years. The latest revision took effect on January 1, 2016. Amendments to the Rules of Golf are generally divided into two main categories: those that improve understanding and those that reduce penalties in certain cases to ensure balance. The rulebook, entitled "Rules of Golf," is published regularly and also includes rules governing amateur status. In Italy, the Italian Golf Federation is responsible for overseeing competitions by enforcing the rules issued by the R&A, ensuring that these rules are observed by clubs, associations, and their members, and managing the resulting sporting justice, protecting their interests abroad.
