Justin Thomas, who hasn’t played competitive golf since undergoing a microdiscectomy after the Ryder Cup in September, has been teasing a return to action for weeks. The two-time major champion has been ramping up his practice with hopes of returning to the golf course soon, and he’s finally ready to get back in the action.
On Tuesday, Thomas enlisted the help of a country music star to announce his return to competitive golf. The 32-year-old will be back playing professional golf next week, just not on the PGA Tour.
Justin Thomas Announces Return With Help From Luke Bryan
See you Monday👊🏽 @atlantadrivegc @TGL
Thomas is one of golf’s great showmen, so you knew he was going to use some flair to announce his return to professional golf.
On Tuesday, Thomas posted a video on X of Bryan, a country music star and five-time Entertainer of the Year winner, saying he’s excited to attend next Monday’s TGL double-header. Thomas’ Atlanta Drive GC faces off against Rory McIlroy’s Boston Common Golf at 5 p.m. ET, then it plays Collin Morikawa’s Los Angeles Golf Club at 9 p.m. ET.
In the video, Bryan teases Thomas about returning to TGL on Monday night.
“Justin, maybe it’s time—I’ve been watching you practice—maybe it’s time we get you back, baby,” Bryan says.
“You know what, I think that’s a great idea,” Thomas wrote in the caption. “See you Monday.”
Well, there you have it. Thomas will compete for Atlanta Drive GC on Monday, Feb. 23, marking his first competitive appearance since the Ryder Cup in September. It makes sense to get the juices flowing at TGL, where Thomas only needs to walk back and forth from the teeing ground in front of the simulator to the rotating green. The American will use TGL as a warm-up before making his 2026 PGA Tour debut.
When Will Thomas Return to the PGA Tour?
In January, Thomas said in a social media post that he’s targeting the Florida Swing for his return to the PGA Tour. The 2026 schedule features four straight tournaments in the Sunshine State starting with next week’s Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, so Thomas should be back out on the course in no time.
Last week, Thomas announced that he’s fully cleared from his microdiscectomy.
“After some follow up imaging and meeting with my Dr and team, I’m officially cleared for all golf activity!” Thomas wrote in an Instagram post. “It feels great to be swinging freely again and getting some reps in on the course. I’m working hard to build up my strength and stamina to get back into golf shape before competing on @pgatour. Can’t wait to get out there with the guys! LFG”
Thomas will look to build off a strong 2025 season in which he finished seventh in the FedEx Cup standings and won the RBC Heritage for his first victory since the 2022 PGA Championship. There’s no doubting the talent, but it might take Thomas some time to ramp up after not being able to swing a club for a few months after surgery.
Justin Thomas Announces Return With Help From Country Music Star