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Phil Mickelson Withdraws From 2022 PGA Championship; Won Tournament in 2021

Erin Walsh

Phil Mickelson will not make his return to the links at next weekend's PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma.   

The PGA Championship announced Friday that Mickelson, who won the event in 2021, has withdrawn from the tournament. It's unclear when the 51-year-old will return to golf.

Mickelson, who was absent from the Masters at Augusta National last month, has not competed since the Saudi International in early February following his comments about the Saudi Arabia-backed Super Golf League. 

In February, author Alan Shipnuck revealed an excerpt from his book, Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf's Most Colorful Superstar, in which Mickelson made controversial comments about the SGL: 

"They're scary motherf--kers to get involved with. ... They killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates."

Mickelson apologized for the comments in a statement on social media and announced that he would be taking some time away from golf "to prioritize the ones I love most and work on being the man I want to be."

Mickelson made history at the PGA Championship last year when he won at Kiawah Island. He was 50 years old at the time, making him the oldest champion ever in the majors. 

The six-time major winner is just the third PGA champion to not defend his title in the tournament over the last 75 years, joining Tiger Woods, who missed the event in 2008 following knee surgery, and Ben Hogan in 1949, who was recovering after his car was hit by a bus. 

Following the PGA Championship, the next major tournament is the U.S. Open in Brookline, Massachusetts, in June. It's unclear if Mickelson plans to return before then. 

   

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