The 106th edition of the PGA Championship is set to be held at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, United States from May 16-19. 16 champions will be teeing off at the tournament, but only 14 names were put on the PGA Championships portal. Phil Mickelson was one of them. Not that he has pulled out, but Lefty’s name is a conspicuous absence in the past PGA Champions category on the official website. His LIV teammates, Martin Kaymer and Brooks Koepka, are listed as past champions, but not Mickelson.
Interestingly, the other past champion, Jimmy Walker‘s name also was missing. Walker won the PGA Championship in 2016. The six-time PGA Tour winner’s name is listed in the full field list available on the PGA Championship website. Additionally, Walker’s name was also there when the PGA released the 156-man field, as was Phil Mickelson’s mention as a former champion.
The six-time Major winner is in the field solely based on his past champion status. Last year, the 45-time PGA Tour winner was the 80th OWGR to enter the PGA Championship. This year, he has slipped to 158th. LIV Golfers don’t receive any OWGR points, and Greg Norman has withdrawn his application for world ranking points.
At the 103rd edition of the PGA Championship, Lefty created history and became the oldest Lefty major champion in the history of professional golf. The record was previously held by Julius Boros, who won the PGA Championship in 1968 at the age of 48. At Kiawah Island, Phil Mickelson, the veteran, fended off threats from Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen in a two-shot triumph and lifted the Wanamaker Trophy for the second time at the age of 50 years and 11 months.
Mickelson who had turned 51 then said, “Certainly, one of the moments I’ll cherish my entire life.” The two-time winner of the PGA Championship has eight additional top-10s in his 30 appearances. Lefty was also runner-up twice, in 2001 and again in 2014, which was also played in Valhalla. Last year, Phil Mickelson tied for the 51st spot.
However, Lefty’s omission from the list indeed comes as a shocker. Notably, Phil Mickelson is also not on the interview schedule released by the PGA. Fans also complained of the backhanded treatment given by Augusta National a month ago at the Masters. The apparent blunder from the PGA just piles on top of that.
Phil Mickelson wasn’t included in the pre-Masters press conference
When ANGC released its press conference schedule, Phil Mickelson’s name was missing from the list of players. Ironically, the schedule included rookie Ludvig Aberg and, among other stars, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, and Jordan Spieth. But Mickelson’s opinions riled many fans, with some terming it an ‘absolute disgrace.’ Whereas some asked majors to move away from the politics that have gripped men’s professional golf for the last few years.
The snub at the 2024 Masters seemed to have affected the 45-time PGA Tour player. According to reports at the Champions Dinner, Lefty was rather quiet and distant than usual; his behavior caught the eye of not one but two veteran golfers. Fuzzy Zoeller, the 1979 Masters champion, spoke about how he “sat near the end of the table” and “didn’t speak at all.” Even Nick Faldo was a bit perplexed about Phil Mickelson’s detached conduct and iterated, “Phil was very quiet on Tuesday; he didn’t say a word,” “He was dead quiet, standing next to me. I wonder why.”
Mickelson, in a more recent interview, admitted he was a divisive figure. Recently, the veteran golfer fired a veiled attack on the PGA and other major organizers for not doing enough to include LIV golfers. This year, 16 LIV golfers will take part in the PGA Championship. The PGA sent an invitation to seven LIV golf pros, including Talor Gooch, for whom Mickelson batted last year. The 156-man field will also have Lucas Herbert, David Puig, and Joaquin Niemann. Mickelson’s HyFlyers teammate, Andy Ogletree, has also qualified for the second major of the season.
How will the 106th edition of the tournament go? It remains to be seen! Who are you rooting for this year? A LIV golfer or a PGA Tour pro?
