Phil Mickelson voluntarily entered an addiction treatment center amid ongoing personal issues, per TMZ Sports. The 56-year-old has since left the facility.
A representative for Mickelson confirmed the stay to both TMZ Sports and People. “Phil was seeking treatment for family trauma and addiction,” the rep said. The facility and length of stay were not disclosed.
Mickelson has spent most of 2026 away from competition. In February, he stepped away from LIV Golf to be with his family. “I will not be able to participate in the first two LIV Events as Amy and I need to be present for a family health matter,” he said at the time.
He ended up missing the first four LIV events before returning in South Africa. On April 2, he withdrew from the Masters. “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 on X.
It was the first of four majors he missed this year. He also sat out the PGA Championship, which he won in 2021, as well as the U.S. Open and The Open.
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In June, Golf Digest reported that Mickelson made nonconsensual and inappropriate physical contact with a female employee at The Farms Golf Club near San Diego. According to the outlet, club officials investigated and confronted him on the course mid-round. Golf Digest reported he was no longer a member of the club, while his lawyer, Tom Clare, said Mickelson resigned his membership.
A spokesperson for Mickelson told Golf Digest, “Any misunderstanding has been cleared up.” His camp also said he had retained defamation counsel.
Weeks later, Skratch published a report from Alan Shipnuck based on interviews with 19 people. Skratch reported two incidents of unwanted sexual advances by Mickelson, along with behavior that led to his departure from two other golf clubs. The report also described his relationship with alcohol.
Ashley Perez, the ex-wife of Pat Perez, also alleged that Mickelson showed her an explicit photo in 2015 and propositioned her while she was still married. Mickelson denied the misconduct allegations.
Clare responded to the Skratch report. “Some of the allegations circulating about Mr. Mickelson are false, and others revisit mistakes he has already acknowledged, publicly or privately,” he said. A statement from Mickelson’s camp added, “Recovery is not a straight line,” and noted his wife, Amy, has supported him throughout their 35-year relationship.
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Addiction is not new territory for Mickelson. “My gambling got to a point of being reckless and embarrassing,” he told Sports Illustrated in 2022.
In September 2023, he went further in a 414-word post on X. “I won’t be betting this year because I crossed the line of moderation and into addiction which isn’t any fun at all,” he wrote. “The money wasn’t ever the issue since our financial security has never been threatened, but I was so distracted I wasn’t able to be present with the ones I love and caused a lot of harm.”
He also warned others. “If you ever cross the line of moderation and enter into addiction, hopefully you won’t confuse your enablers as friends like I did,” Mickelson wrote. He credited years of professional help and thanked Amy directly, writing, “I couldn’t have gotten through this without her.”
That post came a month after pro gambler Billy Walters released a book excerpt about their betting history. Walters claimed Mickelson’s average wager was $110,000 and that his losses totaled close to $100 million. He also alleged Mickelson tried to bet $400,000 on the U.S. to win the 2012 Ryder Cup, which Mickelson denied.
