Jordan Spieth's fans will have to wait a bit longer to see the star golfer return to the course as he recently announced that he expects to be out for the rest of 2024 following surgery on his left wrist. Having dealt with the issue for several years, Spieth is hopeful about his recovery outlook and aims to be "plenty fine by the new year."
The wrist issue has plagued Spieth since the 2022 PGA Championship, though the problem predates even that, with initial troubles surfacing in late 2017 or early 2018. Despite persistent discomfort, Spieth continued to compete. However, the situation came to a head in May of last year when a poolside incident with his son resulted in a wrist dislocation severe enough to force him to withdraw from the Byron Nelson tournament the following week.
"Anytime a guy who does, you know, 30,000 to 40,000 surgeries is excited about something, you know, that's reason for me to feel good about it, I guess," Spieth remarked, expressing confidence in his surgical team's expertise. He remains optimistic that the procedure will resolve his long-standing issues, stating, "In due time, it should be better than it was before."
Throughout the 2024 season, Spieth's wrist continued to trouble him, with dislocations occurring approximately 20 times since February. This frequent setback affected his performance significantly. While his driving was arguably at its peak, Spieth struggled mightily with his iron play, marking one of the most challenging seasons of his career. A near miss at the John Deere Classic encapsulated his year; he almost withdrew after a wrist dislocation but managed to reset it and compete. "I actually texted [caddie] Michael [Greller] like, 'Hey man, it came out last night, it hasn't gone back in overnight. And I can't do this. I gotta go get this thing fixed now,'" Spieth recounted.
Ultimately, Spieth’s decision to undergo surgery was driven by the realization that rest alone would not remedy his condition. "It was something that couldn't fix itself with rest, unfortunately. So that's why I ended up having to do this," he explained.
Spieth faced a pivotal decision in July when he almost opted for surgery but chose to push through the season. Reflecting on this period, he said, "I didn't get it fixed maybe then, and I kind of got into some bad habits, and then as I started to swing it better a few years ago it started to kind of act up again."
Spieth expects to start hitting balls again in November with the hope of getting back to full training. Playing any events in December, however, seems unlikely. "Playing any events in December feels like a stretch," he admitted, tempering expectations for an early return.
Looking back, Spieth acknowledged that the injury's impact went beyond the physical pain. "Like I said, I really didn't wanna make any excuses for myself the whole year because it wasn't hurting to hit the shot. And then I'd get into competition, and then I'd just bail. It was very strange. And so I guess it was a big enough sample size over a year, you'd think it frustrates you after a week or two, but for me, I just kind of kept thinking, 'You know, hey, this is just something mechanically I gotta fix.'" The mental toll of not being able to perform at his best weighed heavily on him.
Despite the challenges, Spieth remains hopeful. He has spoken with various athletes who have undergone similar surgeries and received encouraging feedback. "I talked to a lot of different players who've had similar operations and a lot of guys across different sports and they're like, 'Look, one day you'll wake up and, if you're patient enough, you do the right rehab, you listen to your docs and you take your time, there'll be one day where you wake up and you're like, 'Man, I just totally forgot that there was ever an issue.' So I look forward to that day," he said.
Spieth’s journey through this ordeal has been arduous, but his determination and optimism signal better times ahead. As he looks forward to resuming his career with a healed wrist, fans and fellow players alike will be eager to see his return in 2025. For now, the golfing community extends its support and wishes for a swift recovery.