High Flyers GC is set to kick off the 2026 LIV golf season without Phil Mickelson at the helm.
The six-time major champion shared on Sunday that he wouldn’t be taking part in the initial rounds of the Saudi-backed series in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Adelaide, Australia. His reason? “Family health issues.”
In a message posted across his social media, Mickelson, who is 55, mentioned, “You won’t be able to see me at the first two LIV events. [My wife] Amy and I need to be there due to a family health issue.”
He expressed eagerness to play again, stating, “I can’t wait to join my teammates as soon as I can. In the meantime, Ollie Schniederjans will step in for me in Riyadh while I support High Flyers GC from a distance.”
Schniederjans, 32, has previously acted as a substitute for Mickelson, including at last year’s LIV Golf Opening Tournament in Saudi Arabia when Mickelson had a shoulder injury.
The High Flyers roster features Mickelson, Michael La Sasso, Brendan Steele, and Cameron Tringale.
The season opener in Riyadh is on Wednesday, followed by the tournament in Adelaide starting February 12. After that, LIV Golf will head to Hong Kong in early March.
This marks Mickelson’s fifth year competing in the LIV league.
Interestingly, he was among the prominent golfers who left the PGA Tour in 2022, a move shared by names like Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka.
Koepka, a five-time major winner, parted ways with LIV Golf late last year and has since returned to the PGA Tour under the Returning Member Program, which includes a $5 million charitable contribution from him and a five-year restriction on receiving equity from the Player Equity Program.
Recently, Koepka made his much-anticipated return at the Farmers Insurance Open, where he played over the weekend. Meanwhile, former Masters champion Patrick Reed also announced his intention to return to the PGA Tour just a few days ago.
