Mito Pereira has announced his retirement as a professional golfer at the age of thirty, a decision he communicated through an emotional letter published on his social media after a period of personal reflection.
“After a period of reflection, I have decided to end my career as a professional golfer. It is not a decision I have taken overnight,” Pereira explains in the text, making it clear that it is a considered decision linked to a change in life priorities.
The retirement is especially painful for a player who in 2022 was just one hole away from winning the PGA Championship at Southern Hills, where he led the tournament until a final outcome left him at the doorstep of his first major. A year and a half later, he packed his bags for LIV. Hypotheticals are always misleading, but in this case, it is one of those clear examples… what would have happened if he had managed to save par on that fateful 18th hole at Southern Hills and lifted the PGA Championship? We will never know, but to start with, he would still have access to all the Majors, and it is not a stretch to say that he would not have this abrupt ending.
For a few weeks, the option of retirement had been in the air, but it is still a surprise for a player who has just turned thirty. In his circle, it is also noted that a few months ago, Pereira suffered a bicycle accident that caused him serious wrist problems, an injury that has affected his preparation and prevents him from competing in the LIV Golf Qualifying School, an episode that has accelerated his reflection on his sporting future.
The Chilean, who until the end of this season shared a team with his compatriot Joaquín Niemann in LIV Golf, states that his intention now is to reduce travel, settle permanently in Chile, and focus on personal projects after many years competing away from home.
“I lived many years away from home, spent countless weeks in hotels and airports. The time has come to stop,” the player himself summarises in his message, in which he insists he is leaving “in peace” and proud of the path he has taken.
Before this episode, his progression had been meteoric: three victories on the Korn Ferry Tour, the leap to the PGA Tour, and subsequently, his incorporation into the Saudi circuit as a member of Torque GC.
In his final balance, Pereira also recalls his achievements with the Chilean national team, such as the bronze at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games and the Olympic diploma at Tokyo 2020, where he came close to the podium.
The announcement received an immediate response from LIV Golf, which confirmed the news through its social media and dedicated a farewell message to the player: “Thanks for the memories, Mito. We wish you the best in this new stage.”
Thus, three years after being on the brink of glory in a major, Mito Pereira brings an end to a brief but intense career, marked by a meteoric rise and a farewell as unexpected as it is personal. Since joining LIV, he has not shone as predicted and has decided to step aside.
