The handwritten schedule looks like any recovering patient’s daily routine. Wake up. Breakfast. Walk. Recliner. Ice. Repeat. Except this one belongs to Justin Thomas, and for someone who makes a living chasing perfection under pressure, doing nothing might be the hardest thing he’s ever done.

Thomas posted the detailed recovery plan to Instagram on November 26, following his November 13 microdiscectomy at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. The surgery addressed a herniated disc causing nagging hip and back pain. Now he’s home, and the restrictions are clear: no bending, lifting, or twisting for two weeks. His caption revealed the mental struggle.

“Doing nothing is not something I’m very good at.”

So he’s created a structure—red light therapy, bone broth, supplements, icing throughout the day, no alcohol. Anything to feel productive while stuck in a recliner.

But there’s an unexpected silver lining. “It has, in all seriousness, been a blessing in disguise being home as much as I have.” Watching my one-year-old daughter, Molly. Spending real time with wife Jill, whom he called “an absolute saint” for managing both Molly and “a 32-year-old child.”

Then came the plea that revealed his restless frustration.

“Any suggestions of hobbies that don’t require you to bend, lift, or twist, let a fella know.”

Thomas has won 15 PGA Tour titles. He’s claimed two major championships. He’s earned over $55 million in his career. Yet sitting still might be his toughest test yet.

His 2025 season proved he was hitting form. He broke a nearly three-year winless drought by capturing the RBC Heritage in April. He posted eight top-10 finishes. He earned over $10.8 million and finished 12th in the FedExCup standings. Momentum was building heading into 2026.

Then the hip pain worsened. An MRI revealed the disc problem. Surgery became inevitable.

The recovery timeline stretches roughly three months. That means missing the Skins Game on November 28. Missing the Hero World Challenge in early December. Missing the PNC Championship later that month, where he typically plays with his father. Early 2026 events like The Sentry and The American Express will also pass without him.

A potential return could come in mid-to-late February. But Thomas isn’t putting dates on calendars. His doctor’s orders are simple: do nothing for two weeks, then begin rehab slowly.

For someone wired to compete, the waiting cuts deep. His handwritten schedule reflects that tension—every hour mapped out, every activity planned, all while fighting the urge to push harder than his body allows.

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Justin Thomas discovers family time as the unexpected gift

The schedule tells another story beyond frustration. Breakfast with Molly from 7:00 to 8:30. Watching her play from 11:30 to 12:30. Snack time with her at 3:00. Dinner as a family at 5:00. Bringing her bottle upstairs. Saying goodnight at 6:50.

Thomas celebrated Molly’s first birthday during his recovery, sharing moments that captured both joy and the fleeting nature of time. The forced pause gave him something money and titles never could—uninterrupted time watching his daughter grow.

“Really cool to spend time with my family and watching Molly be a one-year-old is as funny as it is great.”

Jill’s role hasn’t gone unnoticed either. Managing a one-year-old while caring for a recovering athlete requires patience that most people don’t possess. Thomas acknowledged that reality with both humor and genuine appreciation.

The recovery routine stays disciplined. Red light therapy four to five days weekly. Bone broth every morning. Normatec compression sleeves multiple times daily. Ice throughout the day. Supplements to promote healing. No alcohol to avoid inflammation.

It’s methodical. It’s also mind-numbingly slow for someone used to Sunday back nines and trophy presentations.

The plea for hobby suggestions wasn’t just humor. It was a competitor admitting that sometimes the hardest assignment isn’t winning majors—it’s learning to rest. The recliner awaits. The recovery continues. And somewhere between the ice packs and family dinners, Thomas is discovering what matters most when you can’t swing a club.