Phil Mickelson skips Detroit's final Rocket Classic
Phil Mickelson will not tee it up at the 2026 Rocket Classic, the PGA Tour's final Detroit stop under Rocket Mortgage sponsorship. His name is missing from the announced field at Detroit Golf Club, extending a years-long absence rooted in a bitter 2021 visit and a quiet season with just one professional start.
Key Takeaways
- Phil Mickelson is not entered for the July 30–Aug. 2 Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club.
- Rocket Mortgage declined its 2027 option, ending an eight-year Detroit run after this week's event.
- Cameron Young opens as the FanDuel favorite; Scottie Scheffler is sitting the week out.
- Detroit Golf Club returns after a major renovation that dropped overall par to 70.
- Mickelson's only 2026 start was a LIV Golf South Africa event in March (T-48).
Why isn't Phil Mickelson playing the Rocket Classic?
Mickelson played the event exactly once, in 2021, weeks after becoming the oldest major champion in history. Before a shot was struck, Yahoo Sports notes, local coverage revisited 2007 federal racketeering-trial testimony about a Grosse Pointe bookie allegedly cheating him out of $500,000.
"Yeah, I don't see me coming back," Mickelson said then, as quoted by CBS Sports via that report. He briefly softened the stance if a fan petition hit 50,000 signatures; the petition faded, and he never returned. He also lacks PGA Tour status after joining LIV Golf in 2022, so a Detroit start would have required a sponsor exemption that has not come.
Who headlines the field without Mickelson?
Organizers announced the bulk of a 145-player field on July 24, with four more spots via Monday qualifier. Entered names include Cameron Young, Russell Henley, Chris Gotterup, Wyndham Clark, Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka and defending champion Aldrich Potgieter.
Ten major champions and 21 players from the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking are in the mix. SportsLine lists Young at +1000 on FanDuel, with Jackson Koivun (fresh off winning the 3M Open), Schauffele and Gotterup at +2000. For more oddball sports detours, browse Bizarre World on BlasterPost.
How has Detroit Golf Club changed for this week?
According to the PGA Tour Power Rankings preview by Rob Bolton, architect Tyler Rae renovated the North Course after last year's win by Potgieter. Drainage work, lifted greens, reshaped bunkers and fescue replaced the pond that once fronted the par-5 14th.
Holes 7 and 17 flipped from par 5s to par 4s, cutting overall par to 70 with just two par 5s (Nos. 4 and 14). The composite layout measures 7,328 yards. With the FedExCup Playoffs two weeks away, Bolton frames the tougher, unfamiliar test as a pop quiz before finals.
What does Mickelson's absence say about his 2026?
Staying away from Detroit is no shock. Mickelson made one professional start all year—at LIV Golf South Africa in March, tying for 48th at 7 under—and missed all four majors for the first time in his career, per Golf Digest reporting cited by Yahoo Sports.
A spokesperson said he continues to attend to a family health matter and is uncertain when he will return to professional golf. As Detroit hosts its last Rocket Classic under the current title sponsor, Mickelson remains on the sidelines—by choice, circumstance and history that never cooled.