Phil Mickelson has announced he will not play in The Masters next week because of an ongoing family health matter. The three-time Augusta champion made the announcement on social media on Thursday.
The 55-year-old, a six-time major winner, claimed Masters titles in 2004, 2006 and 2010 and has made 28 cuts at Augusta National. He finished tied for second when Jon Rahm won The Masters in 2023. Last year he missed the cut.
Mickelson said he will be “out for an extended period of time” as his family continues to navigate a personal health issue. “I have great respect for Augusta National Golf Club and it’s definitely the most special week of the year. I wish everyone the best of luck and will be watching,” he added.
Masters chairman Fred Ridley issued a statement saying: “We know how much Phil loves The Masters tournament, and he will be missed by everyone in Augusta next week. He has our complete support as he takes time to be with his family.”
Mickelson has missed several LIV Golf events this year, sitting out the opening tournaments in Riyadh and Adelaide and later skipping Hong Kong and Singapore. He returned to competition last month at LIV Golf South Africa in Steyn City, finishing tied for 48th, but there had been uncertainty over whether he would play at Augusta.
In addition to his three Masters victories, Mickelson has won the PGA Championship twice (2005 and 2021) and The Open at Muirfield in 2013. This year’s tournament would have been his 33rd start at Augusta; only seven other players have won the Masters three times.