Golf legend Phil Mickelson checked himself into a treatment facility earlier this year to address family trauma and addiction, his spokesperson confirmed to NBC News Thursday.
Mickelson, 56, is no longer at the facility, and it is not clear when he entered treatment or for how long. His representative did not give further details about the nature of his stay at the unnamed facility.
The announcement comes amid a turbulent year for the six-time major champion.
In April, Mickelson said he would step away from competition for an extended period while his family navigated “a personal health matter.”
Mickelson, who is married and has three children, was reportedly barred from his longtime Southern California golf club, The Farms Golf Club, after being accused of making “nonconsensual and inappropriate physical contact” with a female club employee. The allegations were first reported by Golf Digest, citing multiple sources.
At the time, a representative for Mickelson described the encounter as a “misunderstanding.” Mickelson’s attorney, Tom Locke, said in a statement: “There is a great deal of misinformation circulating and, while Phil’s full attention is devoted to a private family health matter, he has retained defamation counsel and is determined to hold accountable any publication or individual trafficking in speculation or false rumors.”
Mickelson is far from the first professional athlete to seek treatment for addiction. Olympic champion Michael Phelps went to rehab in 2014 after a DUI arrest. This spring, golf champion Tiger Woods said he was seeking treatment for substance abuse after his vehicle rolled over in Florida and he was charged with driving under the influence in March.
Mickelson has won 45 PGA Tour events, including six majors.
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