Abraham Ancer's 2026 season on LIV Golf was quietly impressive. The Texas-born star finished 11th on the league's money list, earning more than $5.6 million across a dozen starts. What wasn't visible from the outside was the physical toll it took to get there.
This week, as LIV Golf continues to navigate an uncertain future, Ancer revealed he has undergone back surgery after spending years attempting to manage chronic pain.
In a lengthy post on Instagram, Ancer explained he had exhausted nearly every option before deciding to go under the knife.
"For the last few years, I've been playing through back pain and trying to find ways to manage it," Ancer wrote. "With the help of Christian (my PT) and my team I was able to produce solid seasons and delay
this decision as long as I did. Deep down I knew it wasn't going to be sustainable for the long term."
The 34-year-old said he hoped to avoid surgery but ultimately reached a point where it became unavoidable.
"While I made every effort to avoid it, it became apparent that surgery was the only option," he said. "As much as I love playing and would like to keep going the rest of the year, I made the difficult decision to step away and take care of myself."
Ancer called the decision a difficult one but said it was necessary for his long-term health and future in the game.
"I'm looking forward to this next phase of my career," he wrote. "Today I'm focused on giving myself the time I need to heal and rehab as I work to return to the game I love. I'm going to do everything I can to come back stronger and healthier. I believe my best golf is yet to come."
He also thanked Dr. Michael Duffy and the staff at Baylor Uptown Medical Center for their care throughout the procedure and recovery process.
Ancer owns one PGA Tour victory, winning the 2021 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, and captured his lone LIV Golf title at LIV Golf Hong Kong in 2024. Now, his focus shifts from competing to rehabilitation, with hopes of returning healthy for whatever comes next.
And that future remains murky, not only for Ancer but for LIV Golf itself.
League officials continue to express confidence that a 2027 season will take shape. A LIV spokesperson recently told Golfweek that a core group of employees will remain in place to guide the circuit into its next chapter, even as significant staffing cuts ripple through the organization.
The Public Investment Fund announced in April it would end its funding of LIV Golf after the 2026 season, bringing renewed scrutiny to a venture that reportedly has accumulated roughly $6 billion in losses. While LIV has drawn massive crowds in markets such as Australia and South Africa, where attendance has topped 100,000 fans, it has struggled to replicate that level of enthusiasm in the United States.
Still, LIV leadership insists the story is not over. CEO Scott O'Neil said earlier this month that a lead investor has signed a term sheet worth at least $250 million to help launch what he has dubbed "LIV 2.0." O'Neil has also met with players in recent weeks to outline plans for the future, a vision that is expected to feature a leaner schedule of roughly 10 events and significantly reduced purses.
For now, though, Ancer's attention is far removed from boardroom discussions and league restructuring. After years of playing through pain, one of LIV's most consistent performers is focused on a much simpler goal: getting healthy enough to tee it up again.
Tim Schmitt is the managing editor of Golfweek.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Abraham Ancer undergoes back surgery after LIV season
