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LIV Golf competitor Mito Pereira announced he is retiring from professional golf on Monday and will return to Chile to focus on his life.
Pereira is only 30 years old. He joined LIV Golf in 2023 and was at Torque GC with fellow Chilean golfer Joaquin Niemann.
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Mito Pereira plays his shot from the ninth in the first round of the LIV Golf Bedminster golf tournament at Trump National Bedminster on Aug. 11, 2023. (Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports)
“I am writing these lines to share that, after a period of thought, I have decided to end my career as a professional golfer,” he said in a statement posted on Instagram. “This was not a decision taken overnight, but I have been thinking about it for a long time, waiting for the right time to talk about it.
“After many years connected to this beautiful sport, priorities naturally change. Today, my biggest desire is to stop traveling constantly, return to Chile, and focus on my personal life.
“Golf has played an important role in my life. It has allowed me to grow personally and professionally, meet amazing people, experience different cultures, and set goals—most of which I have been fortunate enough to achieve—taking steps I never thought possible. Now I start a new chapter feeling happy, motivated, and at peace, with no rush for what the future may bring. I just want to get this right again.” I’m proud of it.”
Mito Pereira on the 17th hole at The Old White at Greenbrier on Aug. 18, 2024. (Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports)
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Pereira had three Korn Ferry Tour championships before earning his PGA Tour card. He also won eight on the Chilean Tour.
He has played in multiple majors, tying for third place in the 2022 PGA Championship. He also finished tied for third place at the Tokyo Olympics, but fell short of the bronze medal.
Pereira recalled those moments in his statement.
“I would like to thank Anto, my family, and all my friends, inside and outside of golf,” he added. “I am also very grateful to my manager, coach, team, sponsors who trust the program, and many fans who always make me feel loved. In this long journey, many people have supported and contributed to my development, and I will always be grateful to them.
Mito Pereira looks on during a practice round of LIV Golf Miami at Trump National Doral on April 2, 2024. (Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports)
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“I spent many years living away from home, in a foreign country, countless weeks in hotels and airports. 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 go through both good and bad times, and how to make discipline and goals a way of life. I believe I am well prepared for what lies ahead.”
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