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Mickelson withdraws from PGA Championship, won't defend title

Luke Walker/WME IMG / WME IMG / Getty

Defending champion Phil Mickelson will not play in the PGA Championship next week after withdrawing from the event, the tournament announced Friday.

Mickelson has not played on the PGA TOUR since late January and announced in February that he'd be taking some time away following comments he made regarding the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series.

He won the 2021 PGA Championship at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island by two strokes over Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen, becoming the first men's player to win a major after turning 50. It was his first major win since the 2013 Open Championship.

Mickelson is a two-time winner of the PGA Championship, having initially won the major in 2005 at Baltusrol Golf Club.

Southern Hills Country Club last hosted this event in 2007 when Tiger Woods emerged victorious. Mickelson finished in a tie for 32nd at 6-over.

Mickelson's agent, Steve Loy, released a statement in late April that stated Mickelson had requested a release from the PGA TOUR to play in the first LIV Golf Invitational series event, according to Golf.com's Josh Berhow.

On Tuesday, the TOUR denied members' requests to play in the first LIV series event, scheduled for June 9-11 - the same week as the RBC Canadian Open on the TOUR's schedule.

The 2022 PGA Championship is set to begin May 19.

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