Spanish golf temporarily loses one of its flagship players across the ocean. Fátima Fernández Cano will have to undergo surgery on 22 September in the United States to repair a microtear in her hip labrum, an injury that has forced her to abruptly halt her season and will keep her off the courses for several months.
The Galician, who has competed this season on the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour, acknowledges that she had been dealing with discomfort for some time, but the pain became unbearable in the summer, leaving no room for manoeuvre. She now faces a recovery that, according to doctors, will take between four and six months before she can train again. In the best-case scenario, she hopes to return in March, although she does not rule out competing again in May.
The story of this injury began in May in Mexico, during the LPGA tournament held at Mayakoba. It was there that the first hip pains appeared. “I had an MRI, but the results were unclear. It seemed that physiotherapy might be enough,” the player herself recounts. For weeks, she tried to manage the situation, alternating training and rehabilitation sessions, hoping the discomfort would subside.
But it was not to be. The pain gradually increased until it became unbearable. The PIF London Championship, held in early August, was the tournament that marked the point of no return. “The body said enough,” she acknowledges. “I could barely complete the swing, and even routine actions like marking the ball caused intense pain. Walking for ten minutes was already unbearable.”
With those sensations, she returned to the United States for further tests. This time, the doctors found the diagnosis: a microtear in the hip labrum. The recommendation was clear: the only solution was surgical intervention.
The labrum is a ring of cartilage that lines the hip socket, stabilising the joint and cushioning movements. When a microtear occurs, every movement—from walking to twisting the torso—causes friction and inflammation. In the case of a golf swing, which requires a violent rotation of the hip, the pain multiplies and becomes incapacitating.
The operation is another blow in Fátima’s career, who already faced a challenging situation in 2023. Then it was a wrist injury that forced her to stop for five months, a break that made her fear for her career. “There were moments when I thought it could be the end,” she admitted at the time.
She overcame that challenge with patience, work, and determination, managing to return to the highest level. However, barely a year later, the story repeats itself with another physical setback, this time in the hip. Just after returning, she passed the LET School, hoping to come back with the same energy.
Before taking the definitive step, Fátima travelled to Spain in search of a second medical opinion. She was evaluated by Doctor Almaraz in Madrid and Doctor Cárdenas Nylander in Barcelona, both prestigious specialists who confirmed the diagnosis and agreed that surgery was the only option. She also tried some infiltrations and alternative treatments, but the results were insufficient.
“I could no longer compete, train, or even live normally without discomfort. The best thing is to stop, have surgery, and return when I am fully recovered,” she explains.
She finally decided to undergo the procedure in the United States, at the prestigious Andrew’s Sports Medicine in Birmingham (Alabama), the city where she usually lives and where she will be operated on by Doctor Emblom on 22 September.
The surgery will keep her out of competition for between four and six months, which means 2025 is considered lost. Her goal is set for 2026, when she will return to the circuits with a “medical exemption” in both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour.
Once she recovers, she will have six tournaments to defend her card on the LPGA, while in the LET she will have five opportunities. During that time, she will be able to earn points to consolidate her status based on the results obtained this year.
“It’s a good opportunity to return with a margin. It gives me peace of mind knowing that I will have those tournaments to fight to stay at the top,” she acknowledges.
Beyond the injury, the Galician admits that her year was not going well. “I started playing well, but I missed three cuts by just one stroke, and that took a mental toll on me,” she says. Confidence began to waver, and as she herself acknowledges, the putt was not working.
Then came the physical discomfort, and the situation became even more complicated. Playing with pain became a routine until the situation was unsustainable. “Mentally, it was very tough. You want to perform, but your body doesn’t respond.”
The surgical intervention will mark another turning point in Fátima Fernández Cano’s career. After a year affected by pain and with modest results, the Galician will now focus on a recovery that will return her to the circuit in full condition. With the “medical exemption” she will receive in the LPGA and LET, she will have the opportunity to defend her status in 2026.
