Justin Thomas underwent microdiscectomy surgery last November for a damaged lower back disk, missing 10 weeks of play including early 2024 Tour events. PGA Tour chiropractic director Dr. Tom LaFountain links such injuries to the demands of contemporary swings. Similar issues have affected players like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Collin Morikawa.
Justin Thomas delayed his 2024 PGA Tour debut until early March at Bay Hill following a microdiscectomy at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. The procedure addressed pain from a herniated disk fragment, a minimally invasive option after conservative treatments failed. Thomas skipped Silly Season events, TGL, and West Coast Signature events during his 10-week absence. Tiger Woods has undergone four such surgeries since 2014. Dr. Tom LaFountain, PGA Tour director of chiropractic services, expressed no surprise at Thomas's sidelining, given the prevalence of back problems among pros. He noted Rory McIlroy's withdrawal after one round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to a back tweak, and Collin Morikawa's similar issue from a practice swing at the Players Championship. “You can see a really fit, strong, slender player like Collin and think, ‘Oh, nothing’s going to happen to him,’ but you really can’t know,” LaFountain said. Factors include lower-back strength, flexibility training, genetics, and family history. Players often compare themselves to John Daly, who despite health issues avoided major back problems due to genetics. LaFountain emphasized post-surgery changes: “Anytime you’ve had a surgery, you’ve been cut into, your body is not the same afterward. You have a different body. You will have to make adjustments.” Modern equipment enables harder swings, with shorter backswings generating high speeds across body types, from Akshay Bhatia to Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka. “They all are” candidates for back issues, LaFountain stated. Historical swings like those of Sam Snead and Jack Nicklaus allowed gradual speed buildup, unlike today's explosive motions.