Mito Pereira was one hole away from winning a major. Three years later the Chilean is retiring

Three years after Mito Pereira was one hole away from winning a major, the 30-year-old from Chile announced on social media Monday that he was retiring from professional golf.

Pereira joined the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League in 2023 and earned just over $11.5 million in three seasons. But he finished at No. 51 in the standings this year and was relegated out of the league.

When asked about his plans three weeks ago, his manager said in a text to The Associated Press that Pereira had broken his collarbone in a bicycle accident and was waiting to get fit to figure out his next step.

Pereira said on a post to Instagram he had been contemplating retirement for some time.

“After many years connected to this beautiful sport, priorities naturally evolve,” he wrote. “Today, my main desire is to step away from constant travel, return to Chile, and focus on my personal life.”

Pereira, who played one year at Texas Tech, is best known for nearly winning the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills. He took a three-shot lead into the final round and was one shot ahead going to the 18th when he aggressively took driver and put it in a creek.

He made double bogey to finish one shot out of a playoff won by Justin Thomas. It was the first time since Phil Mickelson in the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot that a player took a one-shot lead into the final hole of a major and made double bogey to lose.

Pereira, who was part of a playoff for the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics, played for the International team in the Presidents Cup in 2022. He ended the year at No. 44 when he decided to join fellow Chilean Joaquin Niemann’s team at LIV.

He had a pair of top-3 finishes his first year with LIV and finished at No. 8. But he narrowly stayed in the top 48 the following year with only one top 10. His best finish in 2025 was a tie for 13th.

Pereira did not indicate what he would do next.

“I spent many years living away from home, in another country, countless weeks in hotels and airports,” he wrote. “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.”

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf