Phil Mickelson will be getting an unusually early start to his competitive season in 2022. For the first time in 21 years, he will be playing in the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
Mickelson qualified for the winner’s only event with his historic victory at the PGA Championship last May, where he became the oldest ever winner of a major title at age 50. But 13 times since his last appearance in the TOC in 2001, Mickelson has qualified for the event only to decide to skip playing.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Phil Mickelson back to Kapalua, as his return adds additional star power to an incredibly deep and talented field,” said Sentry Tournament of Champions Executive Director Alex Urban in a press release.
The tournament also has received commitments from the other three major winners in 2021, Hideki Matsuyama, Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa.
Mickelson, a 45-time winner on the PGA Tour, has won the TOC twice before, in 1994 and 1998. Both of those victories came when the event was previously held at La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, Calif. He has played in the event twice since it moved to the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort, finishing T-22 in 1999 and T-28 in 2001.
The field will also include notables Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas among 40 players who qualified to compete in the event. Eligible players have until Friday, Dec. 31 to commit to playing.