Phil Mickelson absent from PGA Championship; mom says he's sporting facial hair and enjoying time away

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Phil Mickelson is enjoying his time away from the golf course and the spotlight, at least according to his mother, Mary Mickelson.

Mary Mickelson told USA Today ahead of the first round of the PGA Championship the six-time major champion has been almost unrecognizable, adding it’s been "fun" to be around him in public.

"I didn’t recognize him at first," Mary told the outlet of her son’s new facial hair. "He had a little bit of a beard and mustache. I don’t ever remember him doing that before. Not too many people recognize him, so it’s been fun to be able to go out with him."

Phil Mickelson hasn’t appeared in a golf tournament since February. His comments about the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s role in the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi roiled the golf world, and he’s opted out of each major and skipped each tournament ever since.

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Phil Mickelson at Kiawah Island Resort Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, S.C. (Rick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

However, Mary Mickelson said her son is as relaxed as ever, and his facial hair has provided him a disguise to go out and watch his niece and nephew compete in sporting events.

"He’s relaxed, he laughs all the time," she told USA Today. "He’s not on the phone with people that are calling him for this and that, and please play in this tournament. And it’s hard when you have to say no, when you don’t have the time to spend. But he has taken a lot of time with our family.

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Phil Mickelson hits a tee shot on the second hole