From Chilean Prodigy to Global Stage
Mito Pereira burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old winner of the 2013 Abierto Internacional de Las Brisas de Chicureo on the Chilean Professional Tour, defeating professionals by one stroke with rounds of 70-70-70. After one year at Texas Tech in 2014-15, reaching No. 5 in world amateur rankings, he turned professional in late 2015.
On the PGA Tour Latinoamérica in 2016, Pereira won the Roberto De Vicenzo Punta del Este Open and topped the Order of Merit, earning promotion to the Web.com Tour (now Korn Ferry Tour). His explosive 2020-21 Korn Ferry season featured three victories—the Country Club de Bogotá Championship, Rex Hospital Open, and BMW Charity Pro-Am—securing instant PGA Tour promotion, a rare honor shared by only 11 others before him.
Internationally, he tied for third at the 2021 Olympics in a seven-man playoff and represented the International team at the 2022 Presidents Cup.
PGA Tour Promise and Memorable Collapse
Pereira's PGA Tour debut showcased his potential, highlighted by a T3 finish at the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills. Holding a one-shot lead on the 72nd hole, his approach shot found the water hazard, handing the major to Justin Thomas in a playoff. He followed with T43 at the 2023 Masters and T18 at the 2023 PGA Championship.
Despite no PGA Tour wins, his aggressive style and power off the tee drew comparisons to top talents, positioning him as a rising star before transitioning to LIV Golf.
LIV Golf Nightmare and Shock Retirement
In February 2023, Pereira joined LIV Golf's Torque GC. His 2025 season was dismal: T49 in Riyadh (even par), 46th in Adelaide (+6), T20 in Hong Kong (-7), but plummeting to 52nd in Miami (+19), 53rd in Dallas (+15), and T42 in the UK (+1). He earned points only in Chicago (T13, 4.5 points) and elsewhere zero, facing relegation.
On December 22, 2025, Pereira announced his retirement after 13 professional wins, citing the grueling 2025 campaign. The move ends a career that promised majors but faltered amid LIV's high-stakes format, sparking discussions on golf's competitive pressures.