In a move that surprised many, LIV Golf star Mito Pereira has announced he is stepping away from professional golf at just 30 years old.
The Chilean explained that after years on the road and achieving financial success, he now wants a more settled life back home.
Pereira released a heartfelt statement on Monday, reflecting on his career and the decision to prioritize family and personal happiness over the rigors of life on tour.
Priorities Shift After Years on the Road
“After many years connected to this beautiful sport, priorities naturally evolve,” Pereira said.
“Today, my main desire is to step away from constant travel, return to Chile, and focus on my personal life.”
He spoke openly about how golf shaped him: it provided personal and professional growth, the chance to meet incredible people, explore new cultures, and chase ambitious goals.
Pereira emphasized that he feels proud of his accomplishments and ready to embrace the next chapter of his life with peace and motivation.
Career Highlights and Heartbreaks
While Pereira never captured a Major, he came tantalizingly close in 2022 at the PGA Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Leading by three shots after a strong start, he faltered late in the final round and drove into the water on the 72nd hole, ultimately finishing third. Justin Thomas claimed victory in a playoff.
Later that year, Pereira joined the LIV Golf tour, where he had a strong first season, finishing eighth and earning around $11 million.
However, struggles followed, and he was relegated ahead of the 2026 season—a chapter he will now leave behind entirely.
Returning Home to Family and Stability
Pereira reflected on the toll that constant travel had taken: “I spent many years living away from home, in another 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.”
Away from golf, Pereira and his wife Antonia welcomed a baby boy in 2024, three years after their wedding.
He described golf as a teacher of resilience, discipline, and goal-setting, lessons he feels prepared to carry into his life beyond the sport.
A Passion That Paused and Returned
This isn’t the first time Pereira has stepped away from golf.
At 16, he told Golfweek he had grown tired of the game, quitting to explore other sports like dirt biking, soccer, and tennis.
“One day, I wanted to play golf again, and I came back. It’s that simple,” he said.
Now, at 30, the Chilean is closing one chapter for good, ready to embrace a life rooted in family, home, and personal fulfillment—proof that even professional athletes sometimes need to redefine success on their own terms.
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