The last time Justin Thomas held a golf club publicly, he was grinding through pain at the Ryder Cup. Eight weeks and one microdiscectomy later, the club is back in his hands, but the full swing isn’t.

On January 7, Thomas posted an Instagram video that told golf fans everything they needed to know about his recovery. The two-time major champion stood on a practice green, methodically chipping and putting while wearing wired headphones. There wasn’t a driver or an iron in sight, hinting that he wasn’t there for a range session. JT was just doing the low-impact work, signaling Phase 2 of back rehabilitation.

“Feels nice to slowly work my way back. Happy to be back out chipping and putting!” he wrote, showing that Thomas is adhering to a disciplined, medically guided timeline rather than rushing toward competition.

The update comes almost a month after he did intense rehab to get better. His rehab consisted of minimal movement and extensive breathing work on the floor while activating his core and firing his glutes and hamstrings. He also did minor rotation and leg-strengthening exercises just

He underwent a microdiscectomy at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York on November 13, 2025. A herniated disc had been pressing on a spinal nerve root for months, initially masquerading as hip pain that worsened before the Masters and persisted through Bethpage Black.

“I’m not putting any tournament on the calendar or a specific time for returning. While I will miss some events at the beginning of 2026, I want to be very smart and patient in letting my disc fully heal so it isn’t an issue again,” he said.

Eight weeks later, he is exactly on schedule. Standard microdiscectomy protocols enforce strict BLT restrictions—no Bending, Lifting, Twisting—for approximately six weeks post-surgery. Chipping and putting represent the first controlled breach of those limitations. The movements test the spine’s ability to hold a posture without the violent torque that a full swing demands.

Fellow Tour players counseled patience. Jordan Spieth, who missed events in early 2025 following his own surgery, told Thomas, “You never come back too late, so take your time.”

That philosophy echoes Jim Furyk’s guidance, which Thomas has adopted as his recovery mantra: “No one has ever come back from an injury late.”

The distinction between short game and full swing matters beyond optics.

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Why Justin Thomas is chipping before swinging

A full golf swing generates significant spinal compression and rotational forces—the kind that can re-herniate a disc if introduced too early. Chipping requires minimal trunk rotation. Putting demands on postural stability, but almost no dynamic load. For Thomas, whose aggressive swing generates elite power, back injuries carry heightened risk. The rotation that fuels his distance also multiplies stress on the spine.

This progression mirrors standard rehabilitation protocols for golfers. By mid-December, Thomas had advanced to core work and stationary biking three days weekly. Full swings remain weeks away, somewhere in the 10-to-12-week range post-surgery.

History offers cautionary parallels. Tiger Woods underwent microdiscectomies in March 2014 and September 2015. Both returns faced setbacks. Thomas, at 32 with no prior back procedures, holds advantages over those precedents—but only if he resists the temptation to accelerate.

The video suggests he won’t.

Thomas targets a mid-to-late February 2026 comeback, aligning with the standard three-month recovery window. The Genesis Invitational (February 19-22) looms as a possible destination, though he has locked in no specific events. That means skipping the entire West Coast Swing to prioritize long-term health over early-season points.

The math points toward April. If Thomas begins full swings in late January, he would have roughly two months to rebuild competitive sharpness before Augusta National. The Masters (April 9-12) remains the prize worth protecting.

A boring recovery now means an exciting April later. The chipping video isn’t a comeback announcement. It’s proof that Thomas understands the difference.