Phil Mickelson’s season in 2026 is still shrouded in mystery. The famous player has pulled out of this week's LIV Golf Virginia event due to an unresolved personal matter involving his family.

The six-time major winner has been staying off the radar this season. Since the year began, Mickelson has only participated in one tournament on the breakaway tour.

Sports Illustrated reports that Mickelson is prioritizing his ongoing family matter, which has led him to decide not to play in any other LIV tournaments this season, except for one.

The 45-time PGA winner has had only one start this year, in March at the LIV tournament held in South Africa. His performance left a lot to be desired, finishing the tournament 48th.

His competitive rust was further evident when he missed the Masters recently. Fans have been left wondering whether he would be ready for the PGA Championship next week.

A Captain’s Absence and Historical Hurdles 

The timeframe proves to be a tough call for Mickelson and his squad, the HyFlyers GC. As a captain, the absence creates a difficult situation for the team, which currently ranks lowly among other clubs.

The HyFlyers currently occupy 11th place out of 13 squads participating in the tournament this season. Despite their best-ever showing with fifth place in Mexico City, the team has not yet named their substitute for Virginia.

Moreover, Mickelson's recent performance in major tournaments gives reason to worry. After winning the 2021 PGA Championship at the age of 50, he has missed seven cuts in eleven major championship starts.  

The last time Mickelson was seen playing quality golf was when he finished joint second after a 65 in the final round at the 2023 Masters. However, he has failed to enter the top 40 since then.

Mickelson recently surfaced on social media to congratulate Rory McIlroy for his second straight Masters win on April 12.

The future of Mickelson, undoubtedly, looks rather bleak. It is totally up to the Hall of Famer whether he returns for the PGA Championship or extends his hiatus, which depends entirely on his personal situation.

Do you think Phil Mickelson will be returning to professional golf any time soon? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Abhishek Sharma

Edited by

Surjo Ray