Phil Mickelson Will Skip Masters Amid Family Health Problem

Phil Mickelson's 33rd trip down Magnolia Lane is officially on hold. The three-time Masters champion said Friday he's skipping next week's tournament at Augusta National as his family deals with an ongoing health issue, the Guardian reports. Mickelson, 55, announced on social media that he'll be "out for an extended period of time" while his family "continues to navigate a personal health matter," adding that he'll be watching the Masters from home and offering well-wishes to the field.

"I have great respect for Augusta National Golf Club and it is definitely the most special week of the year," he said in a statement. The Augusta National chairman responded in a statement offering Mickelson "complete support," Fox News reports. The six-time major winner already sat out the first four LIV Golf events of the season—Riyadh, Adelaide, Hong Kong, and Singapore—before making a low-key return last month in South Africa, where he finished tied for 48th. The Masters absence follows a missed cut there last year and interrupts what would have been his 33rd appearance at Augusta, where only seven players have matched or surpassed his three green jackets. ESPN reports that this is the first year since 1994 that neither Mickelson nor five-time champion Tiger Woods will be at the Masters.