Phil Mickelson withdrew from the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, citing a personal health matter with his family. It is his second straight major missed this season, and a sobering moment for one of golf’s most beloved figures.
This withdrawal comes after an already quiet 2026 season marked by repeated absences on and off the LIV Golf circuit. Fans who have followed Mickelson for three decades are left wondering when they will see him compete again. The golf world is rallying behind him with warmth and patience.
Here’s the full story behind Lefty’s latest step away from the sport.
The withdrawal announcement
The announcement confirmed that Mickelson had pulled out of the 154-player field for the tournament beginning May 14. The PGA Championship posted: “Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from the 2026 PGA Championship field due to a personal health matter with his family.” No further details were provided by Mickelson or his camp.
When the golf social media page Flushing It reached out for comment, Mickelson kept it brief and honest. “I wish I could. I can’t, unfortunately,” he said. “I’m hoping to play the rest of the year after that, but I honestly don’t know.” The uncertainty in those words spoke volumes to a sport eager for his return.
A season that never really began
He skipped LIV Golf’s first four events of the season in Riyadh, Adelaide, Hong Kong, and Singapore. He finally returned at LIV Golf South Africa in March, where he finished tied for 48th out of 57 players. It was a rough return, but at least he was back on the course.
That optimism was short-lived. He withdrew again from LIV Golf Virginia the following week, skipped the Masters in April, and has now pulled out of the PGA Championship. In total, he has missed five of six LIV events this season and both major championships he was eligible to play.
The health matter behind it all
In February, before the season opener in Riyadh, he posted a brief statement saying he and his wife Amy needed to be present for a “family health matter.” The golf world took note but respected the privacy. That absence stretched from two events to four, and then through two consecutive major championships.
This is not the first time a health crisis has pulled Mickelson away from the sport. In May 2009, his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer. She battled the disease for 11 months and went on to make a full recovery. Phil paused his career then, too, putting family before fairways. The current situation echoes that same priority and that same character.
Mickelson’s legacy at the PGA Championship
He is a two-time winner of the Wanamaker Trophy. His first came in 2005 at Baltusrol, where a trademark flop shot from deep rough on the 18th sealed the deal. That win came sandwiched between back-to-back Masters titles, a stretch that confirmed his place among the sport’s all-time greats.
Then came 2021. At Kiawah Island, Mickelson became the oldest major champion in history at 50 years, 11 months, and 7 days old. He beat Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen by two strokes. It was a moment that rewrote what fans believed was possible in the twilight years of a golfer’s career.
Lesser-known fact: Before Mickelson, the record for the oldest major champion had stood for over 50 years. Julius Boros won the 1968 PGA Championship at 48 years old.
Max Homa steps into the field
Homa was sitting in the first alternate position when the news came through. He had just finished tied for ninth at the 2026 Masters and brought real momentum heading into Aronimink. The call-up came before two field spots had even been finalized from that week’s PGA Tour events.
Homa brings a strong following and steady form to the major. He is not the sentimental replacement fans might have hoped for, but he is a legitimate contender. With Homa in, Sudarshan Yellamaraju became the new first alternate waiting on the outside.
What does this mean for his LIV Golf standing
LIV Golf operates with a points system where poor season-long standings can result in relegation. His HyFlyers GC team currently sits near the bottom of the 2026 team standings. With so few events left to play, catching up is becoming harder with every withdrawal.
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil addressed the situation Tuesday with warmth and restraint. “I just want to be really sensitive. We all have things going on in our lives that are personal, and his is,” O’Neil said. “I have a lot of love and respect for him as a human being. I hope he comes back soon.” The tone from league leadership has been one of support rather than pressure.
A historic absence at the majors
Neither Mickelson nor Tiger Woods played in the 2026 Masters. That made it the first Masters since 1994 without either man in the field. For a generation of golf fans, watching Augusta without those two names felt like reading a great novel with key chapters torn out.
Mickelson has now missed two consecutive majors, with no confirmed timeline for his return. In his last 16 major appearances before 2026, he had 10 missed cuts. The absence stings more for its abruptness than for any competitive reason. He was still someone fans watched every time he teed it up.
Lesser-known fact: Mickelson finished runner-up at the U.S. Open a record six times, making him perhaps the most celebrated player never to win that specific title.
What comes next for lefty
The golf world is rooting for Mickelson’s return, but no one is rushing him. When asked if he hoped to return later in the year, Mickelson said yes but added that he honestly did not know. That level of candor is unusual for a competitor of his stature. It signals that whatever his family is navigating is serious and ongoing, and that his focus is entirely on them right now.
Missing the 2026 PGA Championship is another blow to Mickelson’s twilight playing years. He is 55, operating in the final stretch of a remarkable career. But for now, the clubs can wait. Family comes first, and in that regard, Phil Mickelson has never wavered.
TL;DR
- Phil Mickelson withdrew from the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink, citing a personal family health matter.
- He has played just one event all year, finishing tied 48th at LIV Golf South Africa in March.
- This is his second straight major missed in 2026, following his withdrawal from the Masters in April.
- Max Homa, who was first alternate, has taken Mickelson’s spot in the 154-player field.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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