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Phil Mickelson will not defend his 2021 PGA Championship win in Tulsa, Oklahoma, next week after he withdrew suddenly on Friday.
The PGA announced the withdrawal, but offered no reason for why Mickelson would not be participating.
“We have just been informed that Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from the PGA Championship,” a PGA statement obtained by ESPN reads. “Phil is the defending champion and currently eligible to be a PGA Life Member and we would have welcomed him to participate. We wish Phil and [wife] Amy the very best and look forward to his return to golf.”
Mickelson was the oldest player to win a PGA Championship last year in South Carolina at Kiawah Island. He skipped the Masters Tournament last month.
Mickelson, 50, came under fire in February over comments about Saudi Arabian human rights abuses, which he allegedly made to author Alan Shipnuck off the record.
Lefty was dismissive while he discussed the 2018 Saudi royal family-sanctioned murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
While commenting on a Saudi golf league, he called Saudis bad business partners
“They’re scary motherf—ers to get involved with,” Mickelson said. “They killed [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 later apologized for the comments and walked away from the Saudi-backed LIV golf league.
He said:
There is the problem of off record comments being shared out of context and without my consent, but the bigger issue is that I used words I sincerely regret that do not reflect my true feelings or intentions. It was reckless, I offended people, and I am deeply sorry for my choice of words. I’m beyond disappointed and will make every effort to self-reflect and learn from this.
While Mickelson will not participate in the championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Tiger Woods has made the cut and will play.
The PGA Championship begins Thursday, May 19.