Phil Mickelson Pulls Out of the Masters as a Family Health Matter Keeps Him Away From Augusta

Phil Mickelson will not play in next week’s Masters and said he will be away from competition for an extended period as his family continues to deal with what he described as a personal health matter. The announcement came Thursday, April 2, ending what would have been another return to Augusta National for one of the most accomplished players in tournament history.

Mickelson, 55, shared the news on his social media accounts and made clear that the decision was tied to circumstances away from golf, not a competitive choice about his schedule. “I have great respect for Augusta National Golf Club and it is definitely the most special week of the year,” Mickelson wrote in a statement. “I wish everyone the best of luck and will be watching.”

The absence removes one of the most recognizable names from the field just days before the first major championship of the season. Mickelson was set to make his 33rd Masters start. He has won the tournament three times, most recently in 2010, and ranks behind only Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan with 16 top-10 finishes at Augusta National. He also finished runner-up there in 2023 behind Jon Rahm, a reminder that even late in his career he remained capable of making noise on one of golf’s biggest stages.

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Mickelson had already been largely absent from competition this season because of the same family issue. He missed the first four LIV Golf League events of the year before returning two weeks ago in South Africa, where he tied for 48th. Thursday’s announcement makes clear that the brief return did not signal a full return to normal scheduling and that whatever is happening behind the scenes remains serious enough to keep him out of the year’s biggest week in golf.

His withdrawal also creates a rare historical note at Augusta. It will be the first time since 1994 that both Mickelson and Tiger Woods miss the Masters. Woods said Tuesday that he is stepping away from golf for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on his health, a decision that followed his recent arrest in Florida on suspicion of DUI and refusal to submit to a lawful test after a rollover crash. For a tournament that has so often doubled as a stage for one or both of those names, next week will look notably different.

Mickelson’s Masters history has long made him one of the central figures at Augusta, even in years when he arrived with more questions than momentum. His last victory in the event came 16 years ago, but his track record there has kept him relevant every April. He has repeatedly found ways to contend on a course that has rewarded experience, creativity and patience, and his absence takes away one of the event’s most familiar storylines before the first tee shot has even been struck.

The timing also stands out because Mickelson has rarely missed the tournament. Before sitting out in 2022, he had not missed the Masters since 1994. That 2022 absence came after the backlash surrounding his controversial comments about Saudi Arabia’s monarchy and the PGA Tour. This year’s absence is rooted in something entirely different, with Mickelson framing the decision around family and health rather than public controversy or professional strategy.

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There was no further public detail Thursday about the nature of the health matter or who in the family is affected. Mickelson’s statement left the specifics private, and the focus for now remains on the fact that one of the game’s most decorated major champions will not be in Augusta for a tournament where he has been part of the landscape for decades.

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