10 weeks after a microdiscectomy surgery that forced Justin Thomas. out of competition for an indefinite time, the two-time major champ has dropped a crucial update. More importantly, a hint when his fans could actually see him in action, professionally. Taking to Instagram, Thomas dropped a series of workout and practice clips, including a specific timeframe he’s eyeing for a return.

“10 weeks post surgery today… feeling good!” the Ryder Cupper writes. “Recovery has gone well….I’m looking to come back competitively at some point during the Florida swing.”

Back in November, when Justin Thomas announced his back surgery, he was clear that no specific comeback date was circling on his calendar. He focused on letting his disc heal fully, and clarified that he’ll miss some events at the start of the year. But now, this new update regarding his comeback signals that Thomas’s recovery has been going successfully.

That has also been visible on his Instagram account. In recent days, Thomas has been posting his videos from the course, chipping and putting. He’s been cautiously easing into golf. Just days ago, he posted a video of himself making a full swing. That’s a milestone for a golfer who’s coming off back surgery.

“I’m slowly building back my strength and conditioning in the gym, and also hitting wedges/short irons,” he further writes on Instagram. “Little victories and patience have been the biggest part of the process.”

Thomas’s surgery came after months of nagging hip pains, which he hadn’t been paying much attention to. But when the discomfort became unbearable, he got an MRI done. The results revealed that a disc was pressing on a nerve, and he needed immediate surgical intervention. Once out of the hospital, Thomas went into a lengthy hiatus.

The last time we saw the 32-year-old playing was during the Ryder Cup in September. Before that, he closed his individual campaign with a T7 at the Tour Championship. Last season also saw him claim his first PGA Tour win at the RBC Heritage since the 2022 PGA Championship. But the year came to an abrupt end. Fortunately, the PGA Tour’s regular season was over. Yet, Thomas ended up missing crucial events like the Skins Game and the Hero World Challenge.

All that while, he focused on a deliberate recovery process. Intially he focused on BLT, which in his words meant “no bending, lifting, or twisting.” He just sat in his chair for days, catching up on TV and sharing several memes, which did their own round of controversy. He also admitted feeling “helpless” as he couldn’t play with his two-year-old daughter.

But this rigorous recovery process is the reason Thomas can plan a definite comeback now. The Florida swing of golf officially begins from late February with the Cognizant Classic. While his participation at the Palm Beach event remains uncertain, fans might see him in other higher-profile tournaments like the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship. These are slated to start from March, which offers a more realistic comeback opportunity.

Strategically, too, these events offer an advantage for Thomas if he ends up choosing them for his comeback.

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Justin Thomas’ Florida swing record adds extra intrigue to his comeback

If Justin Thomas does end up making his competitive return at the Florida swing, history suggests the stage would suit him perfectly. Over the years, the two-time major champ has been performing dominantly on Floridian courses, accumulating high-profile victories. The most notable of them is the Players Championship in 2021. Majorly known as the PGA Tour’s “fifth major,” Thomas was able to capture the trophy after coming back from a seven-shot deficit. In the end, he won by a single stroke.

The Cognizant Classic, which could be the first event in Florida, barring any hurdles, has also seen Thomas as a winner. Back in 2018, when the event was called the Honda Classic, Thomas defeated Luke List in a sudden-death playoff. That was his eighth PGA Tour victory. Then, in 2024, he secured 12th place at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and, in 2023, a 10th place at the Valspar Championship.

In terms of scores, too, Florida has been explosive for Justin Thomas. At TPC Sawgrass, he has always been on a birdie spree. One of them was during the second round of last year’s Players Championship. Thomas equaled the course record with an impressive 11 birdies.

A Florida swing return would not just mark a comeback for Thomas, but potentially a return to some of his most productive golfing territory. But for now, he appears content to let the process unfold at its own pace.