Why did Mito Pereira retire? 30-year-old LIV Golf star shares decision through emotional statement

Mito Pereira has explained why he has decided to retire from professional golf at the age of 30. The LIV Golf player shared the news in an emotional Instagram post, saying his priorities have changed and he wants to focus more on life away from the sport.

Pereira shared that the decision was not sudden and had been on his mind for some time. He said he now wants to move away from constant travel, return to Chile and focus more on his personal life after spending years on the road as a professional golfer.

“After a period of reflection, I have decided to bring my career as a professional golfer to an end," Pereira wrote in the post. "This was not a decision made overnight... Today, my main desire is to step away from constant travel, return to Chile and focus on my personal life."

Screenshot of Mito Pereira's Instagram post (via @mito_pereira)

Pereira rose quickly in professional golf. In 2021, he won three times on the Korn Ferry Tour which earned him full PGA Tour status. That same year he represented Chile at the Tokyo Olympics and finished tied for third, narrowly missing out on a medal after a seven-man playoff.

The Santiago-born golfer turned professional in 2015 and recorded 13 wins across different tours. One of the biggest moments of his career came at the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills.

Pereira held a one-shot lead standing on the final hole and was close to becoming the first Chilean to win a major title. However, a double bogey on the 18th dropped him into a tie for third, just one stroke short of the playoff that Justin Thomas went on to win. He also represented the International Team at the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow, finishing with one tie and two losses as Team USA won the event.

Pereira joined LIV Golf in early 2023 with Torque GC and started strongly. He posted six top-10 finishes in his first season, including a runner-up finish at Greenbrier and a third-place result in Washington, DC. However, results became harder to come by over the next two seasons.

In 2025, Pereira finished in LIV Golf’s Drop Zone and was relegated from the league. With an uncertain future in competitive golf and his world ranking dropping to 1,574, he decided it was the right time to step away from the game.

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LIV Golf bids farewell to Mito Pereira

Mito Pereira’s decision to retire received heartfelt messages from across the LIV Golf community. While his announcement marked an emotional moment, teams and officials took the opportunity to thank him for his time on the circuit.

Torque GC, Pereira’s team, since joining LIV Golf, responded to his post on Instagram with an emotional comment:

“Nos harás falta infinita 😢 El golf te extrañará!” (Translation: “We will miss you infinitely 😢 Golf will miss you!”)

LIV Golf’s official account also acknowledged his departure, writing:

“Thanks for memories, Mito 🙌”

Screenshot of comments on Mito Pereira's post on Instagram (via @mito_pereira)

Following the announcement, Torque GC also shared a tribute post on Instagram, highlighting Mito Pereira’s contributions to the team. Watch the video below:

Mito Pereira was one of the early members of the all–Latin American squad and helped Torque GC win four team titles during the 2023 season. He was also part of the lineup that secured a team victory at LIV Golf Indianapolis last year.

Edited by Sonali Verma