Mickelson returns to HyFlyers lineup while making his season debut in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG – Phil Mickelson will begin the 35th year of his professional golf career at this week’s LIV Golf South Africa, hoping to provide a boost for his HyFlyers GC team and build on the momentum from his performance in the league last season. 

The league’s most decorated player – 57 professional wins, six major victories and enshrinement into the World Golf Hall of Fame – has missed LIV Golf’s first four events of the 2026 season due to family health matters. His HyFlyers have filled his spot in the lineup with reserve players, including Australian Wade Ormsby the past three weeks. 

Last week in Singapore, the HyFlyers finished 10th, their best result to date but still far from competitive. They enter this week 12th in the season-long team standings while fielding a lineup that includes the league’s youngest player in 21-year-old Michael La Sasso, the NCAA Division I champion who turned pro to join LIV Golf this year. 

Prior to the announcement of his family’s issues, Mickelson voiced his enthusiasm for the 2026 season after an encouraging 2025 performance. He finished 24th in points, inside the Lock Zone for the first time in his LIV Golf career. He posted his best individual tournament result, a solo third in Hong Kong. His three top 10s equaled the total amount of top-10 finishes in his first three seasons in the league.

“Last year was a good year for me,” Mickelson said during a league gathering in January. “I started to play well. Had a couple of good chances, which was exciting and motivating for me. Playing against this many great players each week is difficult but it’s exciting. I love the challenge. Heading into 2026, I’ve very optimistic and excited what the year may bring.” 

Mickelson acknowledged that he’s had to adjust his game as he approaches his 56th birthday in June. He’s worked hard to become more accurate off the tee. 

“I talked last year about playing and scoring a different way,” Mickelson said. “I’m not able to maintain or keep up with the increasing speeds of the guys today that are swinging 190-plus ball speed. But what I am able to do is hit all the shots, and if I can drive it and keep it in play, which is what I did very well last year, I’m able to make a lot of birdies and hang and compete because other areas of my game have been very strong.” 

Mickelson also regained his short-game wizardry that had surprisingly abandoned him during an unproductive stretch of results. “That could be the difference,” he said. “I’ve always relied on my short game to score and to compete. It’s been a liability. Now again it’s turning into an asset. That’s why I’m so excited about 2026.”

He’ll start the season at a disadvantage after missing the first four tournaments, giving him just nine regular-season starts to make up ground and avoid the expanded relegation Drop Zone this season. 

The current state of his game is obviously a big question as he tees off in Thursday’s first round at The Club at Steyn City. How quickly he finds his form will go far in determining his fate at the end of the season. 

No matter what, his teammates are glad he’s back and will push hard to help Mickelson find his way atop a LIV Golf podium. The only trophy won in the team’s history is an individual win by Brendan Steele in 2023 Adelaide. 

“We want to see Phil win. We know he can do it,” Steele said. “He had those 3 great chances last year. Even more than that, we want to do it as a team.” 

Added Cameron Tringale: “Phil’s been so instrumental in the growth, the acceleration, even the forming of and helping and believing in this league and standing by this league. He’s done so much for all of us players, not just the ones on this team. We’d love to see him experience the top of the mountain in this league.”