Phil Mickelson has barely been seen on the course in 2026. He missed the early run of LIV Golf events, stepped away from the Masters in April, and now he is out of the PGA Championship as well.

In an X post shared by Flushing It Golf on Tuesday, Mickelson said he hopes to return later in the season but remains uncertain about his timeline.

“I wish I could. I can’t, unfortunately. I’m hoping to play the rest of the year after that, but I honestly don’t know,” Mickelson said on Tuesday.

While Phil Mickelson has not spoken in detail about his withdrawal from the PGA Championship, he had earlier hinted at the situation during his Masters exit in April. 

At the time,  the 55-year-old shared that his family was dealing with a “personal health matter” and said he expected to be away from golf for an “extended period of time.”

Mickelson opened the year on the sidelines, missing LIV Golf stops in Riyadh, Adelaide, Hong Kong, and Singapore. He returned in March for LIV Golf South Africa, but the comeback was brief, ending with a tie for 48th.

Since then, he has again withdrawn from competition, including LIV Golf Virginia and now the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club.

With that, Augusta looked different too, as 2026 became the first Masters since 1994 without either Phil Mickelson or five-time Masters winner Tiger Woods in the field.

Phil Mickelson’s history at the PGA Championship

While Phil Mickelson will not be part of this year’s PGA Championship field, the tournament has still been one of the defining stops of his career. 

From his first Wanamaker Trophy in 2005 to his return to the top at Kiawah Island in 2021, Mickelson’s run at the PGA Championship has stretched across two decades and two defining wins.

His first PGA Championship victory came at Baltusrol, where a clutch flop shot from the deep rough on the 18th hole helped him edge past Steve Elkington and Thomas Bjorn by a stroke with a birdie on the 18th hole.

Then, 16 years later, Mickelson returned to the top historically, becoming the oldest major winner in golf history with his win at Kiawah Island at the age of 50.

Do you think Phil Mickelson will return to major championship golf next season? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Surjo Ray