Phil Mickelson announced April 2 that he will not play in next week's Masters Tournament and will continue an extended absence from the game as he attends to a "personal health matter."
"Unfortunately, I will not play in the Masters Tournament next week and will be out for an extended period of time as my family continues to navigate a personal health matter," wrote Mickelson on X. "I have great respect for Augusta National Golf Club and it is definitely the most special week of the year. I wish everyone the best of luck and will be watching."
The three-time Masters winner (2004, '06, '10) will not play at Augusta National for the second time in five years. He did not play in 2022 after making inflammatory remarks about the PGA Tour before ultimately choosing to leave the PGA Tour for what is now known as LIV Golf.
Masters champions are offered what is effectively a lifetime invitation back to the Georgia-based tournament. Mickelson was runner-up to Jon Rahm at the 2023 Masters.
Mickelson, 55, skipped the first four events of the 2026 LIV Golf season, citing the same health matter. He returned in the Saudi-owned tour's fifth event in South Africa, finishing T-48 in the 57-player field. Ahead of the LIV Golf season, Mickelson said he and his wife, Amy, needed to be in the United States to attend to this matter.
“I will not be able to participate in the first two LIV events as Amy and I need to be present for a family health matter,” Mickelson wrote at the time. “I can’t wait to compete again and look forward to rejoining my teammates as soon as possible.”
With both Mickelson and Tiger Woods not playing at Augusta National this year, the 2026 Masters will mark the first time since 1994 that neither player will compete for the green jacket. When Mickelson missed the Masters in 2022, that was his first absence since the same year.
