Phil Mickelson to miss start of LIV season due to family matter

LIV Golf will start its fifth season without Phil Mickelson. 

In a social media post on Sunday morning, Mickelson, who captains HyFlyers GC, announced that he will miss the first two events of 2026 due to a family matter.

“I will not be able to participate in the first two LIV Events as Amy and I need to be present for a family health matter,” Mickelson wrote on X. “I can’t wait to compete again and look forward to rejoining my teammates as soon as possible.”

LIV kicks off its season on Feb. 4 at Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia before heading Down Under the following week for an event at The Grange Golf Club in Australi

Mickelson’s news comes at a volatile time for LIV, which recently lost two of its biggest stars, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed, both of whom have opted to return to the PGA Tour. Koepka, in fact, is competing in Mickelson’s hometown of San Diego this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.

A prominent face on LIV, Mickelson, 55, is also an active voice on social media, where he mixes golf-related remarks with pointed political commentary.

Earlier this week, though, in his most recent X post prior to Sunday’s announcement, he struck a different tone with a message of emotional support to an unspecified audience.

“I don’t know who needs to hear this but you are enough just by existing,” Mickelson wrote. “Who you are you are in this moment is enough to make you special and unique. Know that.”

In his message Sunday, Mickelson said that Oliie Schiederjans will fill in for him in Riyadh “as I root on HyFlyers GC from afar.”