NEW YORK — Phil Mickelson has left a treatment facility after voluntarily seeking help for "family trauma and addiction," his representative said Sept. 30 in news first reported by TMZ Sports. Mickelson, 56, entered voluntarily, according to the report, though the representative did not say when he entered, how long he stayed or which addiction he faced. Mickelson, who said in 2023 that he had struggled with a gambling addiction, cited a "family health matter" on Feb. 1 and missed much of golf in 2026 as his son had been unwell.
Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee said he expects the sport to forgive Mickelson if he owns his mistakes, speaking on 'We Need a Fourth Podcast.' Chamblee described a "pretty forgiving world" and said Mickelson fights personal demons but is not alone in that fight. "I think if he came back and said, 'Look, I've made mistakes, I've tried to deal with them, sorry for the damage I've caused. The game's been so good to me and for the rest of my life, I'm going to try and be good back to it…' I think everyone would put their arms around him and go, 'Welcome back, sorry you had so much trouble, hope you get your life straightened out,'" Chamblee said, adding that everyone has faced, or will face, some battle.
Chamblee also said Mickelson would have been "Arnold Palmer reincarnated" had he never joined LIV, arguing he would have captained the Ryder Cup many times, served as an Augusta honorary starter and become CBS' lead golf analyst. Mickelson received a guarantee worth about $200 million when he joined LIV in 2022, and Sportico reported he owned a 0.23% stake in LIV when it filed, plus a 25% stake in HyFlyers GC, the team he captains. LIV's 2027 plan calls for 10 events, down from 14, with five team events and five individual tournaments, a format that would fit a part-time schedule, though it is unclear what happens to his LIV stake under the restructuring.
Mickelson has not said whether he will play for LIV in 2027 and his camp has not announced a return date. In June, two reports brought forward allegations of misconduct against Mickelson, with little known about how his family took the allegations, and photos from July showed his wife Amy without her wedding ring. The wire also noted Tiger Woods and Tony Romo faced arrests and public fallout in 2026, with he announcing on March 31 that he would step away to seek treatment, while Romo is working with doctors on his health after CBS Sports and Romo mutually agreed to part ways on Oct. 2, ending a nine-year run. Unresolved allegations could complicate Mickelson's role with sponsors and investors, and if LIV fails to emerge from bankruptcy, he would lose his team platform.