From the doorstep of immortality to out of the sport in three years.
Mito Pereira retired from golf on Monday at 30 years old, following an uninspired run with LIV Golf that saw him near the bottom of the league’s merit order.
Pereira was standing on the tee of the 72nd hole of the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills with a one-shot lead over Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris, when he mis-hit his drive into a stream then went on to make double bogey and cost himself a major title.
“Hello everyone, I’m writing these lines to share that, after a period of reflection, I have decided to bring my career as a professional golfer to an end.” Pereira wrote on a statement released on social media. “This was not a decision made overnight, but one I have been thoughtfully considering for some time, waiting for the right moment to communicate it.
“After many years connected to this beautiful sport, priorities naturally evolve. Today, my main desire is to step away from constant travel, return to Chile, and focus on my personal life.”
In 2023, Pereira joined the group of PGA defectors who left for LIV Golf to secure a major payday. After a stellar first year, Pereira struggled in 2024 and ’25 with just one top-10 finish.
He finished 51st out of 61 golfers this season and is in the drop zone, which means he is essentially relegated off his team — Torque GC.
“Golf played a fundamental role in my life. It allowed me to grow both personally and professionally, to meet incredible people, experience different cultures, and set goals — most of which I was fortunate enough to achieve-taking steps I never imagined possible,” Pereira wrote, as translated by GolfWeek. “I now begin a new chapter feeling happy, motivated, and at peace, without urgency about what the future may bring. I simply want you to know that I am well and proud of what I accomplished in this sport.
“I carry with me unforgettable memories: the three Korn Ferry Tour titles that earned me a place on the PGA Tour; my time on the LIV Tour, where I discovered many destinations and truly enjoyed competing as part of an incredible team, Team Torque; and the honor of representing Chile at the Pan American Games and the Olympic Games. Standing on the podium in Lima 2019 and narrowly missing an Olympic medal in Tokyo 2020 are moments that will remain forever in my memory and in my heart.”
Pereira first turned pro in 2015 and broke through with two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2021 that earned him an automatic promotion to the PGA Tour.
He was one of the more promising players in 2022 and seemed destined to at least became a PGA Tour mainstay before his fateful PGA Championship collapse that helped Thomas earn his second major win.
“I thought I was nervous the first day. Then I thought I was nervous the second day. Then I thought I was nervous on the third day, but the fourth day was terrible. I mean, this morning was tough… I wish I could do it again,” Pereira said after the tournament, according to Golf Digest.
Pereira married to his high school sweetheart Antonia in 2021 and the couple has one son together.
“I spent many years living away from home, in another country, countless weeks in hotels and airports,” Pereira said. “Now, the time has come to pause. Chile is my place in the world, and my family is my reason for being. Golf taught me resilience, how to navigate both good and difficult moments, and how to make discipline and goals a way of life. I believe I am well prepared for what lies ahead.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
