Justin Thomas has started swinging a golf club again. It marks an important step in his recovery after a back injury that sidelined him late last year. The two-time major winner shared a short video on Instagram on January 17. The clip showed him hitting iron shots and hinted at real progress.

In the video, Thomas kept things simple. He used just one emoji, 📈, in the caption. It was a quiet way of saying he feels he is moving forward. He did not give a return date. Still, the fact that he is swinging again shows he is feeling better than he did a few months ago.

Doctors told him the surgery went as planned. He was cleared to begin light rehab after about three weeks. Thomas has said he could be swinging again within a couple of months. But he also made it clear that he wants to be careful and not rush.

Recovery from this type of surgery can take time. It often lasts around three months, sometimes longer. For now, Thomas says he is focused on listening to his body rather than setting a deadline.

When Justin Thomas updated fans with his recovery

Thomas had earlier talked about his rehab while attending the revived Skins Game. He could not play because of the surgery, so he spent most of his time in the broadcast booth instead.

Later, a fan asked him for an update on X, and Thomas responded honestly.

“I’m doing pretty well!” he wrote. “Rehab coming along slowly but surely… still a bit away from hitting any golf balls. Listening to protocols and how I’m feeling is just as [or] more important than the surgery itself.” (via Golfweek)

At the time of his operation, Thomas said his main instruction was to avoid what he called “BLT” which meant no bending, lifting, or twisting. He also said he would miss at least a few events at the start of 2026 but did not want to set a target date, as he did not want to feel tempted to return too early.

Thomas has been through this before. In 2019, he missed close to two months with a wrist injury and had to sit out the PGA Championship.

Before the injury, Thomas was coming off a strong 2025 season.He played 21 events and missed only two cuts. He also posted four top-five finishes and won the RBC Heritage. The year earned him more than $10 million, and he made his fourth Ryder Cup appearance for the United States.

College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, hockey, golf, baseball and more!