Just a few short years ago, Chilean pro Mito Pereira seemed to have one of the brightest futures in golf. He’d earned a PGA Tour promotion in impressive fashion and was one hole away from being a major champion before joining LIV Golf.
But now we know what seemed like Pereira’s breakout year ended up being his peak, as the young pro announced his surprise retirement from LIV and pro golf this week.
Here’s what you need to know.
Mite Pereira shocks with early retirement from pro golf
In his brief time in the spotlight, Pereira made a significant impact.
In 2019, he played his first major and earned a bronze medal for Chile in the Pan American Games, a feat he nearly repeated at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, where he finished T3 and lost in a playoff for the bronze.
But the 2020/2021 season was his real breakthrough. Playing the Korn Ferry Tour, Pereira won three times, including back-to-back events in June 2021. The winning streak earned him an instant promotion to the PGA Tour.
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He earned a solo-third in his first Tour start after the promotion at the 2021 Fortinet Championship.
But the highlight of Pereira’s career, and perhaps the lowlight, came at the 2022 PGA Championship. There, the up-and-coming star built a three-shot lead heading into the final round at Quail Hollow. He struggled on Sunday, but still had a one-shot advantage standing on the 18th tee.
A double bogey followed, dropping him shot out of a playoff for the Wanamaker trophy.
In 2023, Pereira decided to leave the PGA Tour and join LIV Golf, which at the time seemed like a big get for the league. But Pereira struggled on LIV, eventually finishing 51st in 2025 to get relegated.
Which brings us to this week. Though he’d lost his spot in LIV, Pereira is still only 30 years old, with his prime playing days seemingly still ahead of him.
Which is why it came as a surprise when on Tuesday he announced his retirement from the game.
“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,” Pereira wrote in an Instagram post.
In his lengthy announcement, Pereira also wrote, “I carry with me unforgettable memories,” listing his Korn Ferry wins, his time on the PGA Tour and LIV and appearances on the Chilean national teams.
Ultimately, Pereira explained his decision was based on two things. One, a desire to stop the endless travel required of a pro golfer and, two, to spend more time with his family.
“I spent many years living away from home, in another country, countless weeks in hotels and airports. Now, the time has come to pause,” he wrote. “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.”
