Justin Thomas’ 2025 season has officially come to an unexpected halt. The World No. 8 revealed on Friday how he would not be stepping on the competitive sphere of fairways for an indefinite time. After months of nagging hip pain, the 32-year-old golfer recently signed up for a microdiscectomy. However, it seems to have far deeper implications than anticipated.

That surgery is now posing as a hindrance to his return to the course. His decision came after an MRI showed a disc issue that needed immediate attention. Even though the procedure was successful, it means Thomas will be away from competitive golf for an indefinite period. And recently, Thomas himself reflected on how he is being pushed towards making a major decision after the surgery had resulted in a setback.

Joining the No Laying Up podcast, Thomas reflected on how helpless he feels dealing with the current situation. “It’s like it’s the weirdest part is is not not doing anything because I’m not supposed to, not because I feel like I physically can’t, if that makes sense. So, like, um, early on it was easier, but um anyway, it’s a from the sounds of at least from the doctor, the procedure it’s just a microdiscectomy”, shared Thomas.

Reflecting more on the procedure and the details of the surgery, he shared, “It’s what I think a lot of spine surgeons, orthopedics would choose to do from the sounds of it. It’s very It was a 40-minute surgery. It’s like the size of my thumbnail where he went in. Like it’s it’s still covered. So I don’t know what it is, but I mean, the bandage is very small. It’s very basic, I guess, when it comes to a back surgery, if you will. It just the my disc was very, very compressed onto my nerve and that’s what caused all of it. I mean, it just was going down my leg uh pretty bad.”

Justin Thomas revealed how he was not bothered by any back pain throughout the year. “Like, not once did my back hurt or anything. So, that was where it was a bit of a shock and everything. But, it was just something where it’s a couple month recovery process. like I’ll probably miss a couple events in 26, but it’s my thing is I didn’t want to just get an injection and basically bandaid it just to mask the pain when in reality the issue was probably still going to be there.”

While reports have revealed that Thomas would indefinitely be absent from the course, he tried to share a timeline when he expects to be back on the fairways. He stated, “At least as as far along as I had from the sounds of the doctors I talked to, if I would have, you know, maybe been like a month into symptoms, then an injection and some time off could have healed it. But, you know, feeling this for six, eight months like I had, it just um you know, that that had sailed. So, uh but yeah, no bending, lifting or twisting.”

Unfortunately, the timing couldn’t be worse. He had just rediscovered his winning groove earlier this year with a long-awaited victory at the RBC Heritage. Adding to that, he ended his season with strong performances, including a solid run at the Ryder Cup. He shared in a helpless tone, “I’m just there. I can’t do anything.

Thomas’s absence from the competitive realm has already reshaped the upcoming golf schedule. He was forced to withdraw from the revived Skins Game and will also miss December’s Hero World Challenge. Shane Lowry replaced him in the Skins Game and ended in third position, bagging $200,000. Now, although he failed to make it to the event, he has recently shared his take on the performances of his compatriot.

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Justin Thomas pokes fun as Xander Schauffele endures Skins setback

Xander Schauffele participated in the Skins Game, which unfolded at the Panther National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, last weekend. He held the No. 3 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking. But the Skins Game changed the narrative. The Skins Game was dominated by Keegan Bradley, who bagged $2.1 million with 11 skins. Tommy Fleetwood followed suit with 4 skins, securing $1.7 million, and Lowry finished third. But Schauffele, unfortunately, had to return with zero wins from the event.

Adding to that, he was pushed down to number 4 by Fleetwood as the Englishman grabbed the rank of 3 in the official World Golf Ranking this week. As Xander finished dead last in the event, Justin Thomas had an opinion to share on the scenario. Thomas took a hilarious dig at Xander and posted on X, “Like this message if you won the same amount of skins as @XSchauffele today @the_skins_game 🤣 love you brother!!!” 

While Thomas missed the opportunity to take his chance in the greens this year at the Skins Game, he is making sure to at least reflect on how the event turned out. But now, with the future looking uncertain for Thomas, fans would eagerly wait for his return on the fairways.