Justin Thomas returned to competitive golf on Monday, 23 February 2026, marking his first official action since undergoing a microdiscectomy on 13 November 2025. 

The procedure had sidelined him for over three months as he focused on recovery, rehabilitation, and gradually rebuilding strength in his back.

After receiving full medical clearance earlier in February, Thomas stepped back into competition with measured confidence. 

The 16-time-PGA tour winner made his TGL debut playing for Atlanta Drive GC at the SoFi Center.

Thomas returned from a three-match injury layoff on Monday, 23 February and contributed to Atlanta Drive GC’s 5–2 win over Boston Common Golf at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens.

Following his return to competition on 23 February, when asked whether his swing and ball-speed numbers were back to pre-injury levels, Thomas gave an update on how his body is responding post-surgery. He said:

“It’s pretty close to normal. I wouldn’t say this is a normal setting or situation tonight. It’s a lot of stop and starts and whatnot. But at least when I’ve been hitting the last week or so, I feel like it’s been in a very similar spot to normal.”

He played a direct role in closing out the match. On the 14th hole, with Atlanta ahead, Thomas hit a 21-foot tee shot and then two-putted for par to secure the deciding point.

Earlier in the match, he recorded a 311-yard drive that reached 180 mph in ball speed on the 11th hole. On the 8th, he executed a controlled stinger shot under the rocks to keep the hole in play.

In singles competition, Thomas faced 8-time-PGA-Tour winner Keegan Bradley and maintained Atlanta’s position during the head-to-head format.

Following his return in TGL, Thomas also outlined his plans for the PGA Tour

Justin Thomas Confirms First PGA Tour Start Since Surgery

After making his return to TGL, Justin Thomas confirmed that his first PGA Tour start since surgery will come at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. 

Although he has long been one of the PGA Tour’s leading players, Thomas did not consistently include the Arnold Palmer Invitational in his schedule during the early years of his career, which makes his 2026 participation more anticipated.

While speaking with ESPN’s Marty Smith during the TGL broadcast, Thomas addressed how it felt to compete again.

“I’ve missed it. It’s been a long time, but it's good to be back here and playing. I mean, I feel the juices. The competitiveness, the adrenaline, and just competing.”

Are you excited to see Justin Thomas at the Arnold Palmer Invitational? Tell us in the comments!

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Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu