Returning to action after six months, no one expected Justin Thomas to go for the win. In a game designed to lose, he needed time to settle in and adjust to the professional level once again. But no one expected him to finish dead last in the event either. After a 14-over par at the end of Friday, Rory McIlroy had some blunt advice for the 32-year-old.

“I haven’t went through surgery, so I don’t know what that’s like to come back from. But, yeah, it’s going to take time,” McIlroy told the media in the presser post-second round of the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

“I saw J.T. a few weeks ago, and he said that this is going to be his first start. I said, ‘Oof, that’s probably not the best place to come back to after six months off.'”

Bay Hill Golf Club, with firm and windy conditions, is challenging enough even for those who have been playing regularly. For someone like Thomas, who is about four months removed from a microdiscectomy to repair a herniated disc in his lower back, it was going to be a hundred times more difficult. Arnie’s Place spared no exception for Thomas.

Thomas broke 80 both days, albeit barely. Back-to-back, 7-over 79s meant him missing the cut by a mile at 14 over. He carded double bogey or worse on five holes and ranked nearly last in strokes gained off the tee, approach, and putting. He lost a combined 18 shots in those areas. He scored 14 over par in two days. But McIlroy understood the situation he was in and had an apt response to it.

“J.T.’s been one of the best players in the world for the last 10 years; he’ll be fine. He just needs to get sort of sharp again and get into tournament mode and all that stuff. But, I mean, as long as he got through these two days and didn’t feel any ill effects of the back or the surgery, then I think he’s in a good spot.”

Thomas was one of the worst at putting on the field for the round. Not that his work on the green got any better on Friday. In fact, it only got worse in the second set of 18 holes as he continued to miss the cup.

With nine bogeys, four double bogeys, and a triple bogey, there was no way Justin Thomas was recovering from the blunder at Bay Hill.

Returning after the surgery wouldn’t have been easy. But he was getting his swing in place even when he was recovering. However, the two-time major champion’s focus should be to stay fit. If he can manage that, then he will find his swing again eventually.

While McIlroy’s advice may be wise, Thomas had already expressed his disappointment with his performance much earlier.

Rory McIlroy may have been a few hours too late to give Justin Thomas advice

Rory McIlroy’s advice to Justin Thomas came after the latter was certain to miss the cut from the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational. However, the two-time major winner was already disappointed after he shot a 7-over 79 on Thursday evening.

At the end of the first round, Thomas told the reporters, “I putted terribly today. I had a hard time gauging the speed. But just a lot of little stuff. I could not keep my concentration for the life of me on the back nine.

“I would walk into the shot and have no idea what I was even trying to do. It was good to play an 18-hole pro-am yesterday for me to get used to being out here that long and trying to concentrate that long. I haven’t done that in a while.”

No amount of advice or encouragement from Rory McIlroy could have saved him from missing the cut. But he was prepared for it. And with him picking up one of the trickiest events to make a comeback, he has at least shown his intent. Next up, he is scheduled to compete in next week’s Players Championship, and is hanging around in the Orlando area to practice on Saturday.