Golfer retires aged 30 with £13million banked after being banished from two tours

Mito Pereira has announced his shock decision to retire from professional golf, aged 30.

Only three years ago, the Chilean entered the final hole of a major championship with a one-shot lead over the field.

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The 2022 PGA Championship would have been his with a par on the 72nd hole at Southern Hills.

However, an infamously bad tee shot led to a double-bogey, meaning not only did Pereira miss out on a regulation win, he did not even make it into the play-off that was won by Justin Thomas.

That day is ultimately what Pereira’s golfing career will be remembered for – following a surprise announcement on Monday that it is now officially over.

“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 said in a statement.

“Golf played a fundamental role in my life. It allowed me to grow both personally and professionally, to meet incredible people, experience different cultures, and set goals – most of which I was fortunate enough to achieve – taking steps I never imagined possible.

“I now begin a new chapter feeling happy, motivated, and at peace, without urgency about what the future may bring. I simply want you to know that I am well and proud of what I accomplished in this sport.”

Pereira also begins that new chapter having earned £13million in the last two years, arguably setting him up for life.

The 13-time worldwide winner left the PGA Tour in 2023 to join the LIV Golf circuit.

He finished eighth in his first season, before suffering a dramatic fall from grace between 2024 and 2025.

Pereira was relegated from LIV earlier this year after finishing 51st – and remains banned from the PGA Tour after his decision to defect.

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What next?

The golfer recently broke his collarbone in a bicycle accident and it is understood he was waiting to regain fitness before making decisions on next steps.

For many, his retirement will be seen as the first real casualty of professional golf’s long power struggle, which encouraged so many promising players to simply cash-in.

Alongside his ill-fated third-place finish at the 2022 PGA Championship, Pereira also narrowly missed out on a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, losing in a seven-way play-off.

The Chilean did not elaborate on what he plans to do next, other than return to his homeland.

He added: “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. 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. Thank you all.”