Jordan Spieth's Wrist Surgery Sidelines Him for the Rest of 2024
Professional golfer Jordan Spieth has announced that he will be out for the remainder of 2024 following surgery on his left wrist, a decision made to address a persistent issue that has plagued him for several years. The injury, which originated around late 2017 or early 2018, had begun to severely affect his performance this past season.
Spieth revealed that he had endured the pain for a considerable time, often competing despite the discomfort. "I didn't get it fixed maybe then, and I kind of got into some bad habits,” he admitted. “And then as I started to swing it better a few years ago it started to kind of act up again."
The tipping point came in May of last year, when Spieth suffered a severe wrist dislocation during a poolside incident involving his son. This mishap forced him to withdraw from the Byron Nelson tournament shortly thereafter. "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.
Unfortunately, this was not an isolated event. Since February 2024 alone, Spieth experienced approximately 20 dislocations, impacting his iron play significantly throughout the season. The pain and unpredictability even pushed him to the verge of pulling out of the John Deere Classic.
After much deliberation, Spieth recognized that rest alone would not suffice to remedy his condition. He seriously considered undergoing surgery in July but opted to push through the season. "It was something that couldn't fix itself with rest, unfortunately. So that's why I ended up having to do this," he stated.
The decision to undergo surgery was ultimately inevitable. Spieth consulted with various athletes who had undergone similar procedures, drawing on their experiences to make an informed choice. "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."
While Spieth remains hopeful about his recovery, the road ahead is one that requires patience and diligence. He expects to begin hitting balls again by November 2024 but deems playing any events in December as unlikely. "Playing any events in December feels like a stretch," Spieth conceded.
This injury has had effects that transcended mere physical pain. It has tested Spieth's mental fortitude, pushing him to confront not just the physical limitations but also the frustration of underperformance. "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.'"
On a more positive note, the surgery has given Spieth a sense of optimism. His surgeon’s confidence has provided him with much-needed reassurance. "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 noted. "In due time, it should be better than it was before."
As Spieth navigates the challenges of his recovery, his focus remains firmly on the future. He aims to resume his career in 2025 with renewed vigor, unencumbered by the wrist issues that have plagued him for so long. His fans, undoubtedly, will be eager to see him return to peak form, ready to compete at the highest levels once again.