With the Masters coming up, many of the top players in the world are making commitments to the major. Rory McIlroy has already dedicated himself as the defending champion and is also hosting the dinner. Gary Woodland has earned a position very recently and is taking time to prepare himself for the tournament. However, there are a few who won’t be playing the Masters, and that list includes Phil Mickelson.
Phil Mickelson And The Masters
Mickelson has a similar feeling to Tiger Woods when it comes to the Masters. They have both been playing in the tournament for decades, and they both have a few wins. Mickelson has three wins under his belt for this one. He is also known for loving the event, even after he jumped ship to LIV Golf. He loves it enough for the chairman to comment on his withdrawal. Fred Ridley has put out the following statement on the Masters official Twitter account.
“We know how much Phil loves the Masters Tournament, and he will be missed by everyone in Augusta next week.”
There were already questions about which events Mickelson would be attending due to his absence from four LIV events this year. So far, he has missed LIV Riyadh, Adelaide, Hong Kong, and Singapore, so the idea of him missing the Masters wasn’t out of the question.
Mickelson Withdraws
Despite his recent absences, it was still a surprise to fans that he withdrew from the Masters. On April 2nd, Mickelson took to his personal Twitter to release an official announcement. He also gave a brief explanation of why he is not attending the Masters.
“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,” Mickelson wrote. “I have great respect for Augusta National Golf Club, and it’s definitely the most special week of the year. I wish everyone the best of luck, and will be watching.”
With the vague explanation, the comments were filled with speculation on why he has made this decision. Ranging from which family member, to bringing up Mickelson’s medical history. The majority, however, were wishing Mickelson the best in recovery for whoever it is that is affected.
Going Into The Masters
This year, the Masters is now missing two big-name players; both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are both out. This hasn’t happened in decades because of how often the two have attended. At some point this year, both were planning on attending, but Woods had an accident that led him to decide to withdraw. Fans can look forward to seeing other players make a return, like Gary Woodland, who is working on his comeback. Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau are eyeing the win after Scheffler’s recent off month. It will be an interesting show this year, even without some old star players. The field is shaping up for a few matchups that will have fans on the edge of their seats. All that’s left to do is wait for the tournament.
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