Atlanta Drive GC fans expected their full championship core to take the stage when TGL’s second season kicks off with the Atlanta-New York marquee matchup. But that’s not going to happen, as one name will be missing from the lineup. Justin Thomas was a central figure in Atlanta’s title run in Season 1. Yet, he won’t tee it up against the New York Golf Club on December 28, 2025, at the SoFi Center.

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Why Justin Thomas is missing the Atlanta-New York match

Justin Thomas is missing the first TGL Season 2 match because of the back surgery he suffered in November 2025. On November 14, 2025, the 16x PGA Tour winner took it to Instagram to announce his back surgery. He said that he underwent a successful microdiscectomy at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York to treat a herniated disc causing nagging hip and back pain.

After the minimally invasive surgery to treat the nerve pain, the American golfer was discharged the same day. However, the doctors advised complete bed rest before gradually starting with rehab. It was the same drive fans had seen Tiger Woods endure for his seven back surgeries.

Because of the required bed rest, Justin Thomas missed multiple events he had already committed to. For instance, he was part of the inaugural Skins Game after a 17-year hiatus. But since he withdrew, Shane Lowry took his place. Similarly, Aaron Rai, who defeated Tommy Fleetwood in the playoff round at the HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship, took the spot of the 2025 RBC Heritage champion at the 2025 Hero World Challenge.

Since he has not fully recovered yet and is still undergoing surgery, he will miss the first match for the Atlanta Drive GC against the New York GC in the TGL Season 2 opener.

When will Justin Thomas play next?

The average recovery time after a microdiscectomy is around 2-3 months. But for golfers, returning to the game takes a couple of months longer due to the game’s rigorous physical demands. As for Justin Thomas, he does not have any specific return date in mind. He insisted on taking as much time as it takes to heal completely before coming back on the course.

“While I will miss some events in 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 explained.

The comments and the average healing time hint that Justin Thomas may likely be back in February 2025. But there’s no certainty to it, as he prioritizes complete healing over rushing back to play on the PGA Tour. Fellow professional Jordan Spieth advised him the same. Spieth had undergone surgery at the end of 2024 and missed a few events at the start of 2025.

Justin Thomas has voiced his frustration about being unable to do anything but lie down on the bed for the first few weeks. This also includes the inability to lift his daughter, who turned one on November 19, 2025. But after four weeks of complete rest, he started with intense physical training.

As with all the other injury updates, Justin Thomas posted on Instagram to reveal that he started a structured rehab schedule of three days a week in the second week of December 2025.

“Nice to have a little something to build on and look forward to each day!” the 2022 PGA Championship winner wrote in the caption.

After weeks of idleness and frustration from no physical activity, Justin Thomas was happy to do some physical training. However, he shared another update on X on December 18, 2025. “I’m doing pretty well! Rehab is coming along slowly but surely… still a bit away from hitting any balls,” Thomas wrote.

If he does make a comeback in February 2026, the first match he will play will be against the Jupiter Links GC on February 2, 2026. If not, the next matches of Atlanta Drive GC are on February 23, 2026. They have two matches, first against the Boston Common Golf, followed by one against Los Angeles GC.

Justin Thomas’s absence from Atlanta Drive GC’s Season 2 opener reflects a long-term approach focused on health.