After kickstarting its 2026 season on February 4, LIV Golf enters its Singapore chapter this week. However, HyFlyers GC captain Phil Mickelson has yet to make his debut this season. With adjustments made for the first three events already, a recent update is raising eyebrows about Mickelson’s current placement on the team.

“Wade Ormsby is listed as the fourth member of HyFlyers GC in Singapore. Looks like he will fill in for Captain Phil Mickelson again this week. Wishing Phil the best with his family matter,” stated an X update from the golf page, Tee Times.

Previously, too, reserve players had to step in. Ollie Schniederjans appeared to replace Phil Mickelson in Riyadh, and Wade Ormsby took over the role in Adelaide and Hong Kong. At Adelaide on February 15, Ormsby finished tied for 37 with a total of 6 under par. Following that, in Hong Kong, he finished at T41 with 8 under par. The news of Mickelson’s absence, however, was already known.

“I will not be able to participate in the first two LIV Events as [my wife] Amy and I need to be present for a family health matter,” Mickelson said in a post before the LIV Golf Riyadh. “I can’t wait to compete again and look forward to rejoining my teammates as soon as possible.”

No other details have been provided so far. LIV Golf officials have remained tight-lipped as well. The concern arises from the fact that his last competitive appearance was in August 2025. With LIV Golf following strict rules since their OWGR permit, Mickelson might be at risk of losing his position for good.

Mickelson has fallen behind in the LIV Golf individual standings, trailing by 12 points outside the “safe zone”. If this streak continues, he might fall below the 47th-place threshold, resulting in him losing his full-time status on the circuit. But some factors plead a case for him:

• Mickelson is dealing with a personal matter bigger than golf
• He was LIV’s biggest signee when the league launched in 2022
• There’s still plenty of time for him to play his way into the top 46 with 13 individual events at the breakaway circuit remaining

Although Mickelson has remained HyFlyers’ official captain, the team has relied on interim replacements to fill the vacancy. That, in turn, has led to deteriorating team performance over the last three events and may have broader consequences in the long run.

It’s not like the 55-year-old has not missed LIV events before. His 2025 season began with a shoulder injury, forcing him to miss the season opener. However, he was back to help his team grab a third-place finish in the 2025 LIV Hong Kong.

But now, the league is heading to its next stop at LIV Golf Singapore, which is scheduled to begin on March 12. Another lineup change suggests the team may continue operating without its captain for now. Ormsby has again been listed as the fourth member of the squad.

Meanwhile, as the current situation sparks quiet curiosity about Mickelson’s prolonged absence and the next step the league will take regarding the leadership gap within HyFlyers GC, questions about his participation in the Masters also remain unsettled.

Phil Mickelson’s LIV Golf absence continues as Masters uncertainty quietly grows

The Masters is less than a month away. But Phil Mickelson has not arrived on the greens in 2026 for a competitive stint. Even if he somehow manages to return, there is only LIV South Africa remaining before the Masters. So, if he does play there, he may not have many reps under his belt this season.

He has had 33 appearances in the Masters, winning the coveted green jacket thrice. He last missed it in 2022 due to a fallout between the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf circuit. Although he was invited, he chose to not participate.

Last season, Mickelson made 12 starts with three top 10s and missed the cut in three of the four major championships, with his best finish a T56 in the British Open.

Now, whether the three-time Masters champion would be back to the greens of Augusta, aiming for another green jacket, remains to be seen.