Report: Phil Mickelson To Miss LIV Golf Virginia As PGA Championship Doubts Grow

Phil Mickelson during LIV Golf South Africa — (Image credit: Getty Images)

For the sixth time this season, a LIV Golf event is set to take place without Phil Mickelson, with Sports Illustrated's Bob Harig reporting that the HyFlyers GC captain will miss its Virginia tournament, which begins on May 7th.

It was hoped he would resume a full schedule when he played in LIV Golf South Africa in March. However, the six-time Major winner, who finished tied for 48th at the Steyn City tournament, went on to miss The Masters and LIV Golf Mexico City in the weeks that followed.

Mickelson’s continuing absence is not entirely surprising, because when he announced he would miss the Augusta National tournament for only the second time since 1995, he suggested his absence would extend beyond the Major.

Phil Mickelson at LIV Golf South Africa — The HyFlyers GC captain returned for LIV Golf South Africa

At the time, he wrote on X: “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.”

Despite sitting out the event, Mickelson was still an interested observer from afar, commenting on the action several times throughout the tournament before congratulating eventual winner Rory McIlroy.

Following LIV Golf Virginia, Mickelson would typically next be expected to appear at the PGA Championship.

The 55-year-old has a place in the tournament for life, having won the Wanamaker Trophy in 2005 and 2021.

However, while he hasn’t officially withdrawn from the Aronimink Golf Club event, which begins on May 14th, there will surely be doubts as to whether he will take his place in the field.

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.