The 2026 season has been unlike any other in Phil Mickelson’s legendary career. From February onward, the six‑time major champion has been largely absent from competitive golf, stepping away first from the opening LIV Golf events and later from the Masters and the PGA Championship. On February 1, Mickelson wrote on social media that he and his wife Amy “need to be present for a family health matter,” offering no further details.
By April, he announced he would miss the Masters for “an extended period of time,” and in May he withdrew from the PGA Championship, where he holds a lifetime exemption. The family health situation remains private, but the toll on his professional life has been undeniable: a brief return in March at a LIV event in South Africa ended in a tied‑for‑48th finish, and he has not competed since.
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Beyond this current family crisis, Phil Mickelson has long managed a chronic health issue of his own. He has openly discussed his diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis, an autoimmune condition that causes joint pain, stiffness and inflammation of the skin. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, which is sometimes confused with it, psoriatic arthritis often runs asymmetrically and is linked to psoriasis.
Mickelson has managed the condition through medication, physical therapy and lifestyle changes, though the illness has at times affected his training and tournament preparation. The health challenges he has faced—both his own and those of loved ones—have repeatedly forced him to balance his career with the demands of family care.
Family Health Matter and Personal Challenges
The family health matter that has sidelined Phil Mickelson in 2026 is reminiscent of earlier trials. In 2009, his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer, and only two months later his mother Mary also received a breast cancer diagnosis. Both women made full recoveries, and Mickelson’s emotional 2010 Masters victory was dedicated to them. That history of resilience has made the current, unspecified health situation all the more poignant.
Representatives for Mickelson have repeatedly said he “continues to attend to a family health matter and is uncertain when he will be able to return to professional golf”. Whether the issue involves Amy, one of their three children, or another relative has not been disclosed. What is clear is that Mickelson—who married Amy in 1996 and has often prioritised family over fairways—is once again choosing loved ones over trophies.
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Controversies, Allegations and a Marriage Under Strain
Phil Mickelson has been accused of “inappropriate contact” by a female employee of The Farms Golf Club, and has reportedly been removed as a member of the club.
This according to multiple sources via @GolfDigest pic.twitter.com/vUYapk74o9
— Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) June 11, 2026
In June 2026, the private focus on family was suddenly overshadowed by a fresh wave of headlines. Golf Digest reported that Mickelson had been removed as a member of his longtime home club, The Farms Golf Club near San Diego, following allegations of inappropriate conduct with a female employee. According to the report, Mickelson approached a woman at the clubhouse and made “non‑consensual and inappropriate physical contact” with her before a round of golf.
The employee reported the incident immediately, the club conducted an internal investigation, and Phil Mickelson was confronted on the course and told to leave. The Farms Golf Club issued a statement saying, “Following a staff member report of member misconduct, the club provided immediate and ongoing support to the staff member, conducted a thorough independent investigation of the incident and took decisive action. This individual is no longer a member of The Farms Golf Club”.
Mickelson’s attorney, Tom Clare, denied the allegations, stating they were “squarely contradicted by objective, video evidence” and that “there is a great deal of misinformation circulating”. A spokesperson added that “any misunderstanding has been cleared up,” while reiterating that Mickelson’s priority remains the family health matter. These allegations have been compounded by longstanding whispers of Mickelson’s gambling – claims that he has wagered vast sums, including an alleged $1 billion in bets over three decades. In the past he has admitted to “reckless” gambling, though he has also stated he has since stopped.
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Despite the swirl of scandal, there has been no confirmation of divorce; Mickelson and his wife Amy remain married. The couple, who have three children together, have weathered public controversies before, including Mickelson’s involvement as a relief defendant in an insider trading case in 2016. Yet the combination of an opaque family health crisis, a serious misconduct allegation at his home club, and the resurfacing of his gambling history has created an extraordinarily difficult chapter.
Phil Mickelson’s 2026 is a story of separation – separated from the game he loves, separated from the private club where he once prepared for majors, and separated, at least in the public eye, from the untouchable image he cultivated over three decades. Whether he can navigate these converging storms and return to golf remains deeply uncertain.
