Phil Mickelson has played in just one LIV Golf event during the 2026 season.
LIV Golf’s future seems to be far from certain right now, and Mickelson’s continued absence hasn’t helped matters.
However, the 55-year-old’s absence has been down to a ‘private family health matter’.
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Phil Mickelson was one of the biggest stars to leave the PGA Tour in order to join LIV Golf back in 2022.
However, he has failed to win an event on LIV Golf, and 2026 has largely been a write-off for the six-time major champion.
Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP via Getty Images
He has missed five out of the six events on the LIV schedule so far this year.
LIV Golf star Mickelson will now miss the PGA Championship next week, as well as the event this week in Virginia.
His continued absence from LIV has set tongues wagging, given their current situation.
LIV Golf face an uncertain future as a result of PIF withdrawing their financial backing from the league, and CEO Scott O’Neil faced some tough questions during his press conference on Tuesday.
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Scott O’Neil comments on Phil Mickelson after another LIV Golf withdrawal
Scott O’Neil addressed the media in Virginia on Tuesday morning.
O’Neil fielded plenty of questions about the future of LIV Golf, after PIF announced that they would be pulling their funding from the league.
However, he was also asked about Mickelson’s current situation.
“Yeah, I talked to Phil yesterday, sorry he can’t make it today,“ O’Neil said.
“I just want to be really sensitive. We all have things going on in our lives that are personal, and his is.
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“I have a lot of love and respect for him as a human being and certainly have respect for him as what he’s accomplished in his career, and his presence is really helpful. So I hope he comes back soon.
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“I will tell you that his presence is missed by — like I miss him, I miss his presence at events. He carries a ton of weight in every room he walks. That’s not only because he’s a six-time major champion, but he’s got gravitas, and that comes with something that’s way beyond winning.
“Yes, he’s one of the guys helping me, of course.“
Golf needs Phil Mickelson back as soon as possible
Whatever is going on with Mickelson right now, we all hope that he’s back in action as soon as possible.
Whether you love him or hate him, there is no doubt that he is one of the game’s genuinely blockbuster stars.
Mickelson is still a needle-mover, even at the age of 55.
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Whether Phil Mickelson’s future lies with LIV Golf or not, I genuinely hope that we see him playing competitively on a regular basis for at least the next few years.
It’s such a shame that he won’t be at the PGA Championship next week, and the LIV Golf hierarchy will undoubtedly be so disappointed that he is not in Virginia this week.
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