Justin Thomas Quietly Flips the Script at The Players After a Week He’d Rather Forget
March 6, 2026, Orlando, Florida, USA: Justin Thomas tees off the 8th hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Pro-Am presented by Mastercard at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. Orlando USA - ZUMAw109 20260306_fap_w109_048 Copyright: xDebbyxWongx
March 6, 2026, Orlando, Florida, USA: Justin Thomas tees off the 8th hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Pro-Am presented by Mastercard at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. Orlando USA - ZUMAw109 20260306_fap_w109_048 Copyright: xDebbyxWongx
One week after a 'humiliating' last-place finish, Justin Thomas is flipping the script. The former Players champion is back in contention at TPC Sawgrass, a stunning turnaround just four months after back surgery. His performance shows his comeback is right on track.
Following the round at TPC Sawgrass, Thomas spoke about his recovery and his position after two rounds on Friday during a press conference.
"I'm four months today post-surgery. I said that to Jill this morning, my wife. It's cool. I'm trying to — again, it's very difficult to balance all of it, just the rehab, the expectations, the week-to-week doing the right thing, being smart."
March 5, 2026, Orlando, Florida, USA: Justin Thomas hits out of the rough on the 6th hole during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Pro-Am presented by Mastercard at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. Orlando USA - ZUMAw109 20260305_fap_w109_031 Copyright: xDebbyxWongx
March 5, 2026, Orlando, Florida, USA: Justin Thomas hits out of the rough on the 6th hole during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Pro-Am presented by Mastercard at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. Orlando USA - ZUMAw109 20260305_fap_w109_031 Copyright: xDebbyxWongx
His performance comes after a tough recovery from surgery for a herniated disc in November 2025. And last weekend, at his first competitive round of golf, Thomas finished last at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, going 14 over par and missing the cut by 12 shots.
After the round, Thomas said the week at Bay Hill had been difficult. The 2025 RBC Heritage winner described the performance as “humiliating” and “nightmarish,” pointing to issues with ball-striking, putting, and concentration during the round.
But at the PLAYERS? A completely different picture! Justin Thomas opened the week with a 4-under 68. The round began with three consecutive birdies, which moved him up the leaderboard early. He followed with another 68 in the second round. On the par-5 11th hole, he chipped in for eagle, taking his total to 8-under after two rounds.
Why Justin Thomas’s Week at The Players Looked Different From Bay Hill
The thirty-two-year-old added that the process has also meant limiting how much he practices.
“I think I would have loved to maybe go hit a couple of balls yesterday afternoon or even tonight, but just starting up, I just don't need to. It's just trying to do all the things that I need to do, while also still trying to play really well and trying to win a golf tournament while I'm at it.”
With the result, Thomas sits tied for fourth place, four shots behind leader Ludvig Åberg, going into the weekend rounds.
Reflecting on his position after two rounds, Thomas said, “Yeah, I'm proud of myself, getting myself in contention through two days. But got two days left to try to keep playing well.”
Will Justin Thomas stay in contention as the weekend unfolds at The Players? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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Written by
Aditi Singh
Edited by
Siddharth Shirwadkar