The last major championship of the season, the British Open at Royal Birkdale, is here, and it's rolling forward without two of the biggest names in golf: Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Seriously, these two legends, who used to absolutely own the golf world, have now missed *all four* major championships this season. It's a tough pill to swallow for fans watching the action this week. While their personal situations might explain some of it, from a pure golf standpoint, it's just plain disappointing.
Tiger's Wild Ride and Lingering Questions
Tiger Woods is still very much away from the game, even if he's popped up a bit more lately. The guy was involved in a rollover crash and arrested earlier this year in Florida. Talk about a bombshell! He was charged with a DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. After that, he stepped away to seek treatment, reportedly in Switzerland. He's been spotted back in the U.S., even helping introduce the PGA Tour's new schedule in Connecticut this past June. But here’s the kicker: he hasn't publicly addressed that crash or arrest yet. It’s a huge cloud hanging over his return. Let's not forget, the guy hasn't exactly been tearing up the course in recent years either. He ruptured his Achilles and underwent back surgery in 2025. Yeah, he did play in the TGL indoor final in March, just days before that arrest, but it's been a tough stretch. Tiger's won the British Open three times in his career, even going back-to-back in 2005 and 2006. His last appearance was in 2024, when he missed the cut at Royal Troon. You just gotta wonder when, or if, we'll see the Tiger we all remember competing at this level again.Mickelson's Personal Battles and DJ's World Ranking Plummet
Phil Mickelson is also still sidelined, not playing right now. He only teed it up in a single LIV Golf event this season before announcing in April that he was stepping away due to a personal family health matter. That's a serious reason, and you gotta respect it. But there's also the report that he was expelled from his Southern California golf club earlier this year over alleged "nonconsensual and inappropriate physical contact" with a female employee. His team called it a "misunderstanding" that's been cleared up, but it definitely added to the drama. It’s totally unclear when we'll see Lefty back in competitive golf. He won the Open once back in 2013, and has finished second twice, but he's missed the cut in five of his last eight starts. And then there's Dustin Johnson, who isn't playing either. DJ had to pull out of a final qualifying event last month because his exemption from winning the Masters in 2020 expired. His Official World Golf Rankings spot has absolutely tanked, like many LIV Golfers, and he’s now sitting at No. 216. Remember the U.S. Open last month? He was briefly in contention, within a shot of the lead, but had an epic collapse on Friday, going 8-over in five holes and carding a quadruple bogey to barely avoid missing the cut. It was brutal to watch. Even Zach Johnson, the former U.S. Ryder Cup captain, is skipping The Open for only the second time since he lifted the Claret Jug at St. Andrews in 2015. He's focusing on the Senior British Open later this month, where he's won back-to-back starts on the PGA Tour Champions. It just goes to show, the golf world is in a wild place right now, and we're all waiting to see who steps up.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.