Phil Mickelson is listed on Masters.com as a past champion who will not play next month.
Allan Henry/USA Today
Phil Mickelson is no longer on the list of players due to compete in next month’s Masters and has been moved to a section of the tournament website listing past champions who are not competing.
As of Sunday, Mickelson was still on the roster, as was former champion Trevor Immelman, who is also now out of the tournament.
Masters only removes players from this section of the website upon request, and Augusta National has confirmed that the request has been made. Tiger Woods, who has not played since the car crash in February 2021, is still listed as a participant in the tournament. Players have until the tournament week to decide whether or not to play.
Mickelson, 51, who won the Masters in 2004, 2006 and 2010, has been embroiled in controversy over disparaging comments he made about the PGA Tour in connection with his talks with LIV Golf Investments about joining a rival league led by the Hall of Fame. Greg Norman.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, speaking March 8 at the Players Championship, sidestepped questions about whether a golfer’s Hall of Famer had been suspended. Such a suspension will not apply to the Masters, where players are invited based on qualifying criteria that include former champions.
A spokesman for Mickelson declined to comment.
“I haven’t spoken to Phil since he made his comments and said he was leaving,” Monahan said. “I think the ball is on his side. I would love a call from him. But it’s hard for me to talk about the different scenarios that could play out.”
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Following comments made in two separate interviews, Mickelson announced on February 22 that he would be taking a break from playing. He has not played since the Saudi International, where he tied for 18th on 6 February.
For the first time since 1994, Mickelson will miss the Masters. The 2022 tournament would have been his 30th appearance.
“While it doesn’t look like it now given my recent comments, my actions throughout this process have always been in the best interest of golf, my colleagues, sponsors and fans,” Mickelson said in a February 22 statement. “There is a problem that informal comments are being circulated out of context and without my consent, but a more serious problem is that I have used words that I sincerely regret that do not reflect my true feelings or intentions.
“It was reckless, I offended people and deeply regret my choice of words. I am very disappointed and will do my best to reflect on myself and learn from this.”
Mickelson is the reigning PGA Championship winner who last May became the oldest major champion in the game’s history, breaking the record held by Julius Boros since 1968. win his sixth major title and 45th PGA Tour win.
As news of the rival league began to spread over two years ago, Mickelson admitted he was intrigued by the idea. For the last three years, he has played in the Saudi International tournament, where this year Norman and other representatives of LIV Golf Investments actively communicated with potential participants.
But several players supported the PGA Tour last month at the Genesis Invitational, including Rory McIlroy and John Rahm. Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson, who are also considering playing in the Saudi-backed league, are also committed to the PGA Tour.
Mickelson lost several sponsorship deals, including KPMG and Workday. His longtime equipment sponsor, Callaway, put their relationship on hold.