Phil Mickelson set to hit pause, possibly for 3 months

[September 16, 2021] Phil Mickelson is set to play in the 2021-22 PGA Tour season opener this week at Napa, Calif., with a sizeable pause in his schedule ahead that could last until the new year.

The 51-year-old, who won the PGA Championship in May at Kiawah Island, S.C., will make one exception to his upcoming downtime, with a commitment to play in next month's PGA Tour Champions event hosted by Jim Furyk at Jacksonville, Fla.

Beyond that, Mickelson will take a wait-and-see approach.

"I may play a couple more and I may not, we'll see how I feel," Mickelson said Wednesday in advance of the Fortinet Championship starting Thursday at Silverado Resort and Spa North in California wine country. "I wanted to help out Jimmy (Furyk), and he's got his first event this year and I just wanted to support him. He's a good man."

A return in early 2022 could see Mickelson playing in either, or both, of the tournaments scheduled for the Hawaiian Islands.

"I'm not sure, I'm not sure," Mickelson said when asked about his 2022 plans. "We'll see."

The six-time major winner, who has never won the U.S. Open despite numerous close calls, has $94.8 million in career earnings on the PGA Tour and made $2.7 million last season.

The native of San Diego has won 45 tournaments lifetime on the PGA Tour, tied for eighth most, and has 11 victories on the European Tour. Now qualified to participate on PGA Tour Champions, he won two events on that circuit last season.

--Field Level Media

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