The 2026 U.S. Open is set to begin at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, marking the sixth time the historic Long Island venue has hosted America’s national championship. The field features the world’s best players, including World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and every golfer ranked inside the top 40 in the world.
As attention turns to the pursuit of the season’s third men’s major championship, several notable names will not be teeing it up this week. Injuries, personal circumstances, and missed qualification opportunities have left several high-profile golfers absent from the field.
Among the biggest omissions are Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, two of the most recognizable figures in modern golf. Their absence comes as Shinnecock Hills prepares to host its first U.S. Open since 2018, a tournament that remains memorable for both players for very different reasons.
Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson Headline Missing Stars at Shinnecock Hills
GettyTiger Woods of the United States
Tiger Woods will miss his second consecutive U.S. Open and has now appeared in the championship only once since missing the cut at Winged Foot in 2020.
The 15-time major champion and three-time U.S. Open winner has been in Switzerland undergoing rehabilitation treatment following his high-profile car accident in March. Recent images showed that Woods has returned from Europe, but there is still no timetable for his return to competitive golf.
Phil Mickelson is another major name missing from the field. The six-time major champion famously needs only the U.S. Open to complete the career Grand Slam after finishing runner-up six times in the championship.
Mickelson will miss the U.S. Open for the first time since 2017. According to the information provided, he has played only once this year at LIV Golf South Africa because of family health reasons.
Golf Digest stated last week that Mickelson had been removed from his golf club following claims of inappropriate conduct involving a female employee. Mickelson denied the claims, while a spokesperson said the “misunderstanding has been cleared up.”
Elsewhere, English golfer Marco Penge, currently ranked 47th in the world, is the highest-ranked player missing the championship. Penge continues to recover from health issues that began with a viral infection and later included a sinus infection. He has undergone MRI scans on his brain and neck and has not competed since missing the cut at Aronimink last month.
Tony Finau, Max Homa and Sergio Garcia Also Miss Championship
GettyTony Finau of the United States
Several other established PGA Tour and LIV Golf players also failed to make the field at Shinnecock Hills.
Tony Finau has missed all three majors in 2026 after previously playing in 33 consecutive major championships. Finau competed in each of the previous eight U.S. Opens and famously played in the final group during the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. The six-time PGA Tour winner currently sits 109th in the world rankings.
Max Homa will miss his first major championship of the season and his second consecutive U.S. Open. The six-time PGA Tour winner advanced to a playoff during final qualifying in Canada but bogeyed the first extra hole to miss out on a place in the field.
Sergio Garcia is another notable absentee. Until 2025, Garcia had played in 25 consecutive U.S. Opens. The former Masters champion narrowly missed qualification again this year after finishing one under par across 36 holes, two shots short of advancing.
Several other notable players ranked inside the world’s top 100 are absent, including Thomas Detry, Taylor Pendrith, Lucas Glover, Haotong Li, and Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
The LIV Golf contingent missing the championship includes Anthony Kim, Abraham Ancer, Talor Gooch, Dean Burmester, Thomas Pieters, Branden Grace, Marc Leishman, Harold Varner III, and Josele Ballester.
While the 2026 U.S. Open remains one of the strongest fields in golf, the absence of several former major champions, Ryder Cup stars, and established contenders serves as a reminder of how difficult it remains to qualify for one of the sport’s most demanding championships.
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