Phil Mickelson withdrew from the PGA Championship on Friday, opting to extend his golf break following his inflammatory comments.
Posted yesterday at 6:57 p.m.
Mickelson made comments about a Saudi-funded rival league he supports and the PGA Tour, which he accused of greed.
Mickelson made history at the PGA Championship last year when he triumphed at the age of 50. He became the oldest champion in 161 years of major tournaments.
The southpaw hasn’t played since Feb. 6 at the Saudi Arabia International and has stayed away from the spotlight.
Mickelson met the deadline to enter the PGA Championship on April 25, although his manager said he was unsure whether to play but wanted to keep his options open.
The Professional Golfers’ Association of America announced its decision via social media.
He is only the third champion of this tournament not to defend his title in the past 75 years. Tiger Woods missed the event in 2008 while recovering from knee surgery, while Ben Hogan was unable to play in 1949 while recovering from a car accident.