Phil Mickelson Withdraws from The Masters
Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson has officially withdrawn from this year’s tournament, citing a personal health matter involving his family. This decision comes after he missed all but one of the five LIV Golf events this year, highlighting the significant impact of the situation on his professional commitments.
In a statement shared on social media, Mickelson said, “Unfortunately I will not play in the Masters Tournament next week and will be out for an extended period of time as my family continues to navigate a personal health matter.” His absence marks a major shift in the landscape of the prestigious event, which has traditionally featured both Mickelson and Tiger Woods.
A Historic Absence
This will be the first time since 1994 that neither Tiger Woods nor Phil Mickelson will be present at the Masters. At that time, Woods was a senior in high school, and Mickelson had suffered a broken leg while skiing earlier that year. The last time both were absent was over two decades ago, making this year’s event particularly notable.
Mickelson has always regarded the Masters as “definitely the most special week of the year.” His record at Augusta National is impressive, with victories in 2004, 2006, and 2010. He is one of only eight players to win the Masters at least three times. His 2004 victory was especially memorable, as he secured the title with a birdie putt on the 72nd hole, winning by just one shot.
A Legacy of Rivalry
Mickelson and Woods have a storied history on the course, including their final round together in the 2009 Masters. Despite starting the day seven shots behind the leader, Mickelson made a strong push with a six-under front nine. However, a costly double bogey on the par-3 12th derailed his chances, and he finished in a tie for fifth, three shots behind the winner. Woods, who was defending his 2005 title, finished slightly further back.
As the defending champion in 2005, Woods also presented Mickelson with his second green jacket in 2006, marking a moment of camaraderie between two golfing legends.
Personal Challenges and Professional Shifts
Mickelson has not disclosed specific details about the personal family matter affecting his participation. He missed LIV’s first four events of the year and returned to competition in South Africa two weeks ago, where he tied for 48th in a field of 57 players. Despite the challenging performance, he expressed relief at being back on the course, saying, “It’s just fun to be back playing.”
The only other time Mickelson missed the Masters was in 2022, when he took a leave of absence following controversial remarks about the Saudi-funded LIV Golf tour. In a Golf Digest interview, he criticized the PGA Tour for what he called “obnoxious greed.” In another conversation with author Alan Shipnuck, he downplayed concerns about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, referring to it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape the PGA Tour.
These comments led to the loss of several corporate sponsorships, and Mickelson eventually joined LIV later that year.
The Masters Returns
The Masters is set to begin next Thursday night (AEDT) with a 91-man field. One spot remains available if the winner of this week’s Texas Open is not already eligible. With both Woods and Mickelson absent, the tournament will look different, but the legacy of the event remains unchanged.
