In less than two days, New York will witness one of the biggest showdowns: the Ryder Cup. Among the best golf has to offer, one notable name will remain absent: Phil Mickelson. Since the preparations for the biennial event rolled out, Mickelson kept his distance. Most likely, he might not be seen behind the ropes when Team USA tees off on Friday morning. But why?

Many hoped Lefty would lead the American squad at Bethpage. Their reasoning was simple. Mickelson holds a historical Ryder Cup record: 12 appearances as a player (the most in the event’s history) and a vice-captain role in 2021. He has a record of 21.5 points with 18 wins, 22 losses, and 7 halves – the most for Team USA. Moreover, Bethpage Black is the same course where he twice finished as a runner-up in the US Opens. So, it was obvious that he seemed like the perfect choice, until last year.

Why Mickelson Ruled Himself Out as 2025 Captain

A year ago, he said that he was not Ryder Cup captain material. He very honestly owes that to his LIV affiliation.

“I knew I was going to take some hits going forward. I’m OK with that. And as a divisive individual, I don’t think I’m the best unifier going forward for the Ryder Cup, and that’s fine,” he said.

He might be right, as the captain of a Ryder Cup team needs to be on good terms with his players, something he can’t expect since his defection. Known for his outspoken nature, Mickelson has often said controversial things about PGA Tour players, which might not have sat right with some of them.

An instance of it is when he called Joaquin Niemann the world’s best player, a likely jab at current world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Another would be when he said LIV’s team format was similar and, in some cases, better than the Ryder Cup-style competition. He called it “more emotionally connected” because they happen every week, compared to the Ryder Cup’s once-in-two-years format.

“The players on the PGA Tour, there’s a lot of hostilities towards me, and I don’t feel I’d be the best leader for them,” he once reflected.

And with that, a better-suited leader like Keegan Bradley got the captain’s cap. He has a rich history in golf, his aunt being a Hall of Famer, and on top of that, his emotional connection to the event is not unknown in the golf circuit. His own Ryder Cup experience as a player and his partnership with Mickelson in past events made him a fitting choice. And he didn’t falter either in crediting Mickelson as one of his biggest mentors.

“Early in my career, I really took for granted Phil’s leadership that he gave me…What Phil did for me was create a relaxed atmosphere…He mentored me before the event. Took me to dinner. He talked to me non-stop throughout the year about the pressures and what would come, and I really learned a lot. It hasn’t been until now that I’ve really realized what an incredible thing it was that he did for me,” Bradley said last year.

Despite all this, he made it clear that Mickelson might not be willing to be the captain. “Personally, I don’t think he’s really interested in doing it….I owe a lot to Phil, and I think he’s done so much for the American side of the Ryder Cup, but I’m not so sure he’s looking to come in as a vice-captain.”

Anyways, the idea of Mickelson leading the US Team became untenable. Phil was not the only one who suffered the consequences.

The Impact of LIV Golf on Mickelson’s Ryder Cup Involvement

Many Ryder Cup veterans, like Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Paul Casey, and Sergio Garcia, saw the opportunity of captaining the event once they defected to the breakaway league. In their places, Keegan Bradley and Luke Donald got the reins on either side of the Atlantic.

But it’s not like LIV players are not allowed to participate in the tournament. This year, three LIV players — Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, and Bryson DeChambeau — are going to tee off for their respective teams. It is just the captain’s role that seems impossible to be given to a LIV player.

For being a captain, the PGA of America requires the players to be active members and have a good standing in the ranks. LIV players’ ranks cannot be counted in these official point tables; they cannot expect to be chosen as a captain.

Now, as the US Team is ready to take on Europe, on their home turf – an advantage or a burden – you never know, Mickelson’s absence will surely sting. He could not make it to the team’s roster this year, due to personal preference or this sport’s politics, one might never know. But the Ryder Cup’s legacy cannot be remembered without Mickelson’s shadow all over it. And if everything goes right, one might see Lefty in the 2027 edition.