When Jake Knapp began the 2026 season, he looked poised for a breakthrough year. The 32-year-old had recorded an impressive seven top-11 finishes in his first eight starts. However, his momentum was derailed at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March, forcing him to withdraw. Now, months later, the PGA Tour winner has finally undergone surgery, but it’s threatening his eventual comeback. 

“Earlier this morning, I underwent surgery to repair a ligament in my left thumb,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “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 [who] helped get this done so I can get back to playing at 100%.”

Just 15 minutes before Jake Knapp was due to tee off at Bay Hill, his Arnold Palmer Invitational campaign came to an abrupt halt. The PGA Tour announced his withdrawal at 11:50 a.m. ET, with his opening-round tee time set for 12:05 p.m.

While Knapp remains optimistic about his return in his post, the reality is far more complicated. The 32-year-old has secured his PGA Tour card for next season and earned a spot in the Signature Events after finishing inside the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings. However, there is still no definitive timeline for his return.

If the injury lingers, it could potentially affect his form heading into next season. Not to mention, the PGA Tour’s fall season is set to begin on September 17 and run through November 22, giving players outside the top 50 an opportunity to improve their standings. However, it remains unclear whether Knapp will be healthy enough to compete during the fall schedule.

Knapp has already been forced to miss several events because of the injury this year. Following the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the 32-year-old sat out the Cadillac Championship, Truist Championship, and PGA Championship.

He did, however, return in time for the FedEx Cup Playoffs, finishing tied for seventh at the FedEx St. Jude Championship before slipping to T47 at the BMW Championship last week. 

As a result, he failed to advance to the top 30 for the season finale. Regardless, Knapp isn’t the only one whose entire season has been affected by an injury. 

Jason Day failed to qualify for FedEx Cup playoffs after a back injury

In June, Jason Day withdrew from the U.S. Open after just 10 holes at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York, as he visibly struggled with back pain. Cameras captured the former world No. 1 wincing and appearing uncomfortable throughout his round.

Since then, Day has competed in three more tournaments: the Travelers Championship, The Open Championship and the Wyndham Championship. While he managed a T55 finish at the Travelers Championship, he missed the cut in both of the other two events.

As a result, Day was unable to break into the top 70 of the FedEx Cup standings, leaving him ineligible for the FedEx St. Jude Championship. 2026 was also the first time he missed the playoffs. However, because the top 100 players get to keep their cards for next season, Day will be able to play next season. 

Having said that, it appears Jake Knapp’s case is the perfect example of how an injury can derail an entire season and threaten the next one. Hopefully, he will get better soon and make his comeback.