Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley releases statement on Phil Mickelson missing The Masters

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Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley releases statement on Phil Mickelson missing The Masters

Originally posted on 5 GOATs | By Daniel Hager | Last updated Apr 2, 2026 6:22 PM ET

Six-time Major Champion Phil Mickelson announced on Thursday that he will not be participating in The Masters this year. This year’s edition of The Masters will mark the first since 1994 not to feature Mickelson or 15-time Major Champion Tiger Woods.

The news from Mickelson comes just days after Woods officially became a scratch for the tournament. Woods is dealing with the fallout from a rollover crash that resulted in a DUI charge and has stepped away from golf indefinitely.

“Unfortunately, I will not play in the Masters Tournament next week and will be out for an extended period of time as my family continues to navigate a personal health matter,” Mickelson wrote in a statement released on X/Twitter. “I have great respect for Augusta National Golf Club and it is definitely the most special week of the year. I wish everyone the best of luck and will be watching.”

Shortly after Mickelson’s announcement, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley released a statement.

“We know how much Phil loves the Masters Tournament, and he will be missed by everyone in Augusta next week,” Ridley wrote. “He has our complete support as he takes time to be with his family.”

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— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 2, 2026

Mickelson is a three-time winner of The Masters (2004, 2006, and 2010). Along with the three victories, Mickelson boasts 12 top-five finishes in Augusta. His last top-five finish came in 2023, when he tied for second with Brooks Koepka at -8. Jon Rahm took home the green jacket that year (-12).

He has hit some iconic shots at Augusta National, including a masterful iron shot from the pine needles on No. 13 in 2010. His shot flew a tributary to Rae’s Creek in front of the green, and Mickelson would later go on to win the tournament after maintaining his lead.

Over the last few years, Mickelson has seen mixed success at The Masters. As previously mentioned, he finished as the runner-up in 2023. He, however, finished outside the top 20 in 2024, 2021 and 2020. Mickelson has made the cut in 28 of 32 starts.

On3’s Thomas Goldkamp contributed to this article.

This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

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