Ex-LIV Golf pro appears desperate to join Tiger Woods on senior PGA Tour

Former LIV Golf pro turned commentator Pat Perez has indicated he is ready and willing to join Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour Champions in 2026. 

Perez joined the PIF-backed breakaway in 2022, linking up with Dustin Johnson in his 4 Aces quartet. 

The American golfer, now 49, played three full seasons with LIV before he was relegated in 2024. 

LIV hired Perez as an on-course commentator and analyst last season but it appears he is now surplus to requirements after Henni Zuel joined the broadcast team. 

Perez has made no secret of what he would like his future plans to look like.

On 2 January, he shared an image on his Instagram of a cup featuring the PGA Tour's logo, adding: "Happy NEW year." 

Perez will turn 50 on 1 March and will be eligible to play on the PGA Tour Champions. 

But he is currently subject to a ban, even though his last LIV Golf appearance was at their stop in Chicago in September 2024. 

The PGA Tour has suspended Perez for simply appearing on a LIV broadcast. 

Former PGA Tour member turned golf YouTuber Wesley Bryan is in the same predicament and has appealed. 

Perez previously complained of the rule, explaining that it "didn't make sense". 

"I'm not on the Champions Tour yet," Perez previously said. "But I have the credentials to get there."

Perez unlikely to be welcomed back with open arms

Perez was among the first wave of players to be recruited by LIV at the height of the unprecedented disruption in elite men's golf. 

The American joined shortly after the likes of Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed and Cameron Smith joined the rival league for gargantuan sums of money. 

Perez was initially extremely critical of LIV and described the league as "kind of a joke". 

He was also critical of Mickelson and even Woods, saying the latter's comments about the lack of incentive on LIV was among "the stupidest s--- I have ever heard in my life". 

When he joined LIV, he was pictured at one of their draft parties wearing a t-shirt featuring dollar bills.  

Perez was also among the group of LIV players that took legal action against the PGA Tour. 

He also frequently criticised PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. 

"He doesn’t listen to the players," Perez said of Monahan. "Somehow they keep talking about, 'oh, yeah, we work for you, we work for the players.' 

"It's the opposite. Seems like we work for them. We don't have a say in anything."

LIV Golf will return for their fourth full campaign next month. 

The league have made several changes in recent months. 

First, LIV decided to abandon one of their founding principles by switching to a traditional 72-hole format. 

The league has also upped their field sizes to 57 and increased the number of graduates in their "Promotions" event later this month from two to three. 

The changes are understood to be part of LIV's move for Official World Golf Ranking accreditation.

OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman provided an update of LIV's bid in late December.

LIV will be without Koepka in 2026. The American has decided to part ways with LIV, despite having one year remaining on his contract. 

LIV and Koepka say the decision was "mutual". 

DeChambeau is yet to sign a new contract and, before Christmas, cast doubt on whether or not he would stick around.