Mickelson Pulls Out of Grand Slam


Citing the need to rest and spend more time with his family, Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from next month's PGA Grand Slam of Golf. The event is played by the year's four major winners.

Mickelson, the 2010 Masters champion, will be replaced by Ernie Els.

The Grand Slam follows a busy stretch of golf for Mickelson which includes four FedEx Cup playoff tournaments and the Ryder Cup. Mickelson, who announced last month that he is suffering from psoriatic arthritis, is playing in all of these events.

Lefty won the Grand Slam of Golf in 2004, the same year he captured his first major title at the Masters.

Els, a three-time major champion from South Africa, joins a field that includes U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland; British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa; and PGA champion Martin Kaymer of Germany.

It will be the first Grand Slam of Golf since 1994 without an American in the field. The 36-hole tournament will be held October 18-20 at Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda.