STERLING, Va. — Six-time major champion Phil Mickelson, who was listed in next week’s PGA Championship field, has withdrawn from the tournament due to a “personal and family health issue,” the tournament announced Tuesday afternoon.
Mickelson, 55, skipped the Masters in early April while his family navigated what he described as a “personal health issue.”
As a result of Mickelson’s withdrawal, Max Homa will now be in a revised field of 154 players when the PGA Championship runs May 14-17 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
There are two spots left for the winners of this week’s PGA Tour events — the Truist Championship and the ONEFlight Myrtle Beach Classic — if they don’t qualify otherwise.
As expected, four-time PGA Championship winner Tiger Woods was not included in the field. He is believed to have entered a treatment program in Switzerland following his March DUI arrest.
Mickelson, a two-time PGA Championship winner, has competed in just one of six LIV Golf events this season; tied for 48th in South Africa on March 22. He then withdrew from the final LIV event in Mexico City in mid-April.
Although Mickelson has not commented publicly on LIV Golf’s future since the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund announced it would withdraw funding after this season, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil said he spoke with Mickelson on Monday.
“I want to be more sensitive,” O’Neil said. “We all have personal things going on in our lives, and hers. I really like and respect her as a person, and I really respect her for what she has accomplished in her career. Her presence is very helpful. I hope she comes back soon.
“I miss his presence at events. He carries a ton of weight in every room he walks in. That’s not just because he’s a six-time major champion, but he has gravitas. It comes with more than just winning. He’s one of the guys that helps me, that’s for sure.”
The PGA of America has granted a special exemption to LIV Golf captain Dustin Johnson, who is ranked 468th in the Official World Golf Ranking. The two-time major champion has won 68 consecutive majors, missing only three due to injury or personal reasons.
