Defending champion Phil Mickelson withdraws from PGA Championship

By Jacob Lev, CNN

Updated 0035 GMT (0835 HKT) May 14, 2022

ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPhil Mickelson becomes oldest golfer to win a 'major' 00:39

(CNN)Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from the upcoming PGA Championship, the PGA of America announced Friday.

«Phil is the defending champion and currently eligible to be a PGA Life Member and we would have welcomed him to participate,» the PGA said on Twitter. «We wish Phil and Amy the very best and look forward to his return to golf.»PGA Life Members must have been active members of the PGA Tour for 15 years and must have won at least 20 co-sponsored events, according to PGA.Phil Mickelson to miss Masters for first time in 28 yearsMickelson, who will turn 52 in June, made history at the event last year when he became the oldest major winner, surpassing a record previously held by Julius Boros, who won the PGA Championship in 1968 at age 48.CNN has reached out to Mickelson's agent for comment.Read MoreMickelson also missed the Masters last month, for the first timein nearly three decades, after being removed from the tournament's list of active golfers. He was officially listed as a «past champion not playing» on the Masters website.The six-time major winnersaid in February he would take «some time away» from golf after being criticized for comments he made about Saudi Arabia's regime and the country's proposed new golf tour.Golfer Phil Mickelson apologizes for comments over reported Saudi-backed tour while saying they were off the record At the time, Mickelson said he has felt pressure and stress affect him over the years and suggested he would be taking a break from the sport, saying, «I know I have not been my best and desperately need some time away to prioritize the ones I