Three years after coming within a stroke of a major title, Chilean professional golfer Mito Pereira announced on Monday that he would retire from the sport.
The 30-year-old, who had spent his career chasing the dream of a major championship, posted the decision on his social-media accounts, signaling the end of an era for the former Texas Tech student.
Pereira’s manager replied to a question from The Associated Press three weeks earlier, explaining that the player had broken his collarbone in a bicycle accident and was currently awaiting recovery before deciding on his next move.
In a separate Instagram post, Pereira said that he had been mulling retirement for some time, adding that his priorities were shifting.
He wrote: “After many years connected to this beautiful sport, priorities naturally evolve,” he wrote. “Today, my main desire is to step away from constant travel, return to Chile, and focus on my personal life.”
The former Texas Tech golfer, who once held a three-shot lead into the final round of the 2022 PGA Championship, explained that the constant travel had taken its toll and that home was calling.
Pereira’s most dramatic moment came at Southern Hills in 2022, when he opened the final round with a three-shot advantage and was one stroke ahead heading to the eighteenth hole.
On the 18th, he chose to drive aggressively, sending the ball into a creek. The misplay resulted in a double bogey, and he finished one stroke behind the playoff that was ultimately won by Justin Thomas.
That sequence was the first time since Phil Mickelson’s 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot that a player entered a major’s final hole with a one-shot lead and lost by a double bogey.
Beyond that high-profile near-miss, Pereira also competed in the Tokyo Olympics, where he reached the bronze-medal playoff, and represented the International team in the 2022 Presidents Cup.
After the 2022 Presidents Cup, he moved to the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League, joining fellow Chilean Joaquin Niemann, and finished the season ranked 44th.
Pereira’s first year in LIV saw him secure two top-three finishes and finish 8th in the league standings, earning just over $11.5 million across three seasons.
In the following season, he managed only one top-10 finish, which kept him just inside the top 48, but he was relegated out of the league after finishing 51st in the standings this year.
His 2025 campaign included a best finish of a tie for 13th place, marking the lowest finish of his professional career to date.
Pereira has not announced any plans for a comeback or a new venture, leaving the golf community to speculate about what his next chapter might hold.
He closed his retirement announcement with a reflective note: “I spent many years living away from home, in another country, countless weeks in hotels and airports,” he wrote. “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.”
Key Takeaways
- Mito Pereira, 30, retires after a career that included a near-major win and a stint with LIV Golf, earning over $11.5 million.
- His final season saw him finish 51st in LIV standings, leading to relegation from the league.
- The former Texas Tech golfer cites travel fatigue and a desire to return to Chile and focus on family as the main reasons for stepping away from professional golf.
With his decision announced, the golf world will remember Pereira for his dramatic 2022 PGA Championship run, his Olympic playoff appearance, and his recent contributions to the growing LIV Golf movement.
