The PGA Championship will likely crown a brand new champion in 2022 with its defending champion withdrawing just one week from the event.
It was announced Friday that Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from the PGA Championship. Mickelson became the oldest major champion in golf history by winning the 2021 PGA Championship at 50 years old.
“We have just been informed that Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from the PGA Championship,” PGA’s statement said. “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.”
In April, Mickelson skipped out The Masters for the first time since 1994. The six-time major champion has not played on the PGA Tour since missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in January.
Mickelson has been taking time away from golf after his controversial comments about the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian financiers of a breakaway circuit were published by author Alan Shipnuck, who wrote an unauthorized biography of the golfer popularly known as “Lefty.” Mickelson later apologized for his comments.
According to ESPN Stats and Information, Mickelson is just the fourth golfer in the last 50 years not to attempt to defend his title at a major the next year.
Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma would likely have welcomed a new champion anyway, as Mickelson was initially listed at 80-to-1 according to DraftKings Sportsbook odds.
Masters winner Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm are the top favorites to win the PGA Championship, both listed at 11-to-1. Rory McIlroy’s odds have jumped to 12-to-1, and Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas round out the top five at 14-to-1 odds. Tigers Woods is listed at 50-to-1, but he has not made a commitment to the PGA Championship just yet.
The 104th PGA Championship will be played from May 19 to May 22.
