Why is LIV Golf’s Phil Mickelson missing the 2023 RBC Canadian Open? Reason explored

Canadian Open
Phil Mickelson at the 2004 Canadian Open

Phil Mickelson is missing at this week's RBC Canadian Open, which starts on Thursday, June 8, at Oakdale Golf and Country Club.

This isn't the first time Mickelson hasn't played a PGA Tour event this year. For the uninitiated, players who switched to LIV were suspended from participating in PGA Tour events last year.

After the PGA Tour and LIV Golf merger was announced on Tuesday, fans might have thought that the Saudi-backed circuit players would be back on the PGA Tour, but that is not going to happen this year. The remaining seasons of the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and DP World Tour will go as planned.

Currently, the only tournaments LIV-associated golfers can compete in are the 14 events under LIV Golf, Asian Tour events, and the four majors if they have exemptions.

Mickelson didn't have great memories when he played at the Canadian Open for the first time as a professional in 1993. Mickelson, who was then a PGA Tour rookie, was disqualified from the event after signing an incorrect scorecard. Rumors suggested that it was the RCGA (Golf Canada) and not the PGA Tour that sent him home. Since then, he has played the event several times but has never been able to succeed.


Who is playing in the 2023 RBC Canadian Open? Field explored

Here's the complete field for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open:

  • Aaron Baddeley
  • Aaron Cockerill
  • Aaron Rai
  • Aaron Wise
  • Adam Hadwin
  • Adam Long
  • Adam Svensson
  • Adrian Meronk
  • Akshay Bhatia
  • Alex Smalley
  • Andrew Landry
  • Andrew Novak
  • Augusto Núñez
  • Austin Cook
  • Austin Smotherman
  • Ben Griffin
  • Ben Martin
  • Ben Silverman
  • Bill Haas
  • Brandon Matthews
  • Brandon Wu
  • Brandt Snedeker
  • Brendon Todd
  • Brent Grant
  • Brian Gay
  • Brian Stuard
  • Brice Garnett
  • Byeong Hun An
  • C.T. Pan
  • Callum Tarren
  • Cameron Champ
  • Cameron Percy
  • Cameron Young
  • Camilo Villegas
  • Carl Yuan
  • Carson Young
  • Chad Ramey
  • Charley Hoffman
  • Chesson Hadley
  • Chez Reavie
  • Chris Stroud
  • Cody Gribble
  • Corey Conners
  • Daniel Kim
  • David Hearn
  • David Lingmerth
  • David Lipsky
  • Davis Thompson
  • Derek Ernst
  • Doc Redman
  • Doug Ghim
  • Dylan Wu
  • Eric Cole
  • Erik van Rooyen
  • Étienne Papineau
  • Garrick Higgo
  • Geoff Ogilvy
  • Grayson Murray
  • Greyson Sigg
  • Hank Lebioda
  • Harrison Endycott
  • Harry Hall
  • Harry Higgs
  • Henrik Norlander
  • Jake Knapp
  • James Hahn
  • Jason Dufner
  • Jim Herman
  • Johnny Travale
  • Jonathan Byrd
  • Joseph Bramlett
  • Justin Lower
  • Justin Rose
  • Keith Mitchell
  • Kelly Kraft
  • Kevin Chappell
  • Kevin Roy
  • Kevin Tway
  • Kramer Hickok
  • Kyle Westmoreland
  • Lanto Griffin
  • Lee Hodges
  • Lucas Glover
  • Ludvig Aberg
  • Luis Carrera
  • Luke List
  • Mackenzie Hughes
  • Mark Hubbard
  • Martin Laird
  • Martin Trainer
  • Matt Fitzpatrick
  • Matt Kuchar
  • Matthias Schwab
  • Matti Schmid
  • Maverick McNealy
  • Max McGreevy
  • Michael Block
  • Michael Gligic
  • Michael Kim
  • Michael Thorbjornsen
  • Mike Weir
  • MJ Daffue
  • Myles Creighton
  • Nate Lashley
  • Nick Taylor
  • Nick Watney
  • Nicolai Hojgaard
  • Patton Kizzire
  • Paul Haley II
  • Peter Malnati
  • Richy Werenski
  • Ricky Barnes
  • Robby Shelton
  • Robert Streb
  • Roger Sloan
  • Rory McIlroy
  • Russell Knox
  • Ryan Armour
  • Ryan Brehm
  • Ryan Gerard
  • Ryan Moore
  • S.H. Kim
  • S.Y. Noh
  • Sahith Theegala
  • Sam Bennett
  • Sam Burns
  • Sam Ryder
  • Sam Stevens
  • Scott Harrington
  • Scott Piercy
  • Sean O'Hair
  • Sebastian Szirmak
  • Shane Lowry
  • Stuart Macdonald
  • Sung Kang
  • Taylor Durham
  • Taylor Pendrith
  • Tommy Fleetwood
  • Trevor Cone
  • Trevor Werbylo
  • Tyler Duncan
  • Tyrrell Hatton
  • Tyson Alexander
  • Vince Whaley
  • Vincent Norrman
  • Webb Simpson
  • Wesley Bryan
  • Wil Bateman
  • Will Gordon
  • William McGirt
  • Zac Blair
  • Zecheng Dou

What's next on Phil Mickelson's schedule?

Phil Mickelson during the 2022 U.S. Open Championship - Round Two
Phil Mickelson during the 2022 U.S. Open Championship - Round Two

Phil Mickelson will be back in action next week at the US Open 2023. The event will be played at Los Angeles Country Club from June 15 to June 18. Mickelson has won six majors so far, but he has yet to win the US Open.

The 52-year-old golf veteran has finished runner-up six times in a three-decade-long career. Since 2013, Mickelson has failed to finish in the top 25 at the US Open and has failed to make a cut three times in the last eight appearances.

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Edited by Shobhit Kukreti