Phil Mickelson was unavailable for four events in a row at the beginning of the 2026 LIV Golf season. Citing a family emergency, Lefty didn’t make himself available for the HiFlyers GC until their trip to South Africa. Interestingly, that was also the last time he played a LIV Golf event. It is now confirmed that he is about to skip a LIV Golf event for the sixth time this season.
As many sources have confirmed, Mickelson will not be on the field for LIV Golf Virginia 2026. Unlike his initial four misses, he hasn’t provided a reason why he is skipping the trip to the Trump National Golf Club. However, Sports Illustrated has called it an undisclosed family matter.
Interestingly, the 55-year-old wasn’t at Club de Golf Chapultepec a few weeks ago as well. He hadn’t released a statement about his absence from the Mexico City event as well. However, Lefty did express his disappointment about not being available for the 2026 Masters Tournament a week before that.
As LIV Golf’s future hangs in the balance, Mickelson’s silence for his absence seems even more alarming. Could it be that he has lost the motivation to support a league that has no concrete financial support? Although it’s all just speculation, the rumor mills are running wild about top players looking for a way out. The six-time major winner, who has been the strongest promoter of LIV Golf, could have also had a change of heart to protect his future in the sport.
Phil Mickelson to Miss LIV Golf Virginia https://t.co/dA25dAL3uW
— Bob Harig (@BobHarig) May 4, 2026
Either way, this is the sixth event in seven fixtures for Mickelson. And with less than half the season to go, he has a lot of action to catch up.
Will Phil Mickelson get another opportunity to play in LIV Golf?
The PIF pulled its funding from LIV Golf on April 29, 2026. The confirmation must have sent shockwaves through the entire LIV Golf roster. Rumors suggested that Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau‘s teams were already negotiating a deal with the PGA Tour executives to bring them back.
Considering all these factors, things can go either way for LIV Golf. The next event is scheduled in Korea from May 28 to 31, 2026. Whether the league survives by then or not is still uncertain. And if it does, then we will have to see if Phil Mickelson makes an appearance at the Asiad Country Club.
