Pat Perez may have been one of the lower-profile players to join LIV Golf for the 2022 season, but he made a significant impact both in his contributions to 4 Aces GC winning the season-closing Team Championship and the fact he won over $8m in his debut season.
It is highly unlikely that, given his success and higher profile, he regrets the decision to leave the PGA Tour for the Greg Norman-fronted organisation. Nevertheless, in comments he made in February that have resurfaced, it would be hard to believe that he was just months from making the switch.
Video: What Is LIV Golf?
Speaking during February’s Genesis Invitational, Perez’s allegiances seemed firmly with the PGA Tour, and he had plenty of praise for commissioner Jay Monahan. too “Our purses are going up. Jay Monahan’s done a phenomenal job getting our purses to go up. Jay and the Tour, from what I understand, is doing a phenomenal job,” said Perez.
He also had criticism for the then rumoured breakaway, saying: “They talk about growing the game. I don’t see how that group over there is growing the game. The Tour has done phenomenal things. They do phenomenal things for the communities that we go to. They have programs for underprivileged now. That’s how you grow the game.”
Perez also appeared to be comfortable with his future on the PGA Tour and beyond. He said: “I would never say anything bad about the Tour because I’ve had an unbelievable life doing it, and I still have the Champ Tour to think about it. I’m exempt on the Champions Tour for as long as I want to play. That’s an unbelievable type of retirement thing on top of the retirement package that we have already. I’ve got no reason to b*tch about anything. I’m kind of one of those lucky guys that I think I see it the right way.”
It wasn’t just the PGA Tour Perez was full of praise for, either. Two players who remained unequivocal in their support for the organisation all year, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, also received his backing. He said: “I think the way Tiger’s approaching it is phenomenal. I think he understands where he made all his money.
“You know, I would follow his lead more than anything. If he doesn’t want to do it, Rory doesn’t want to do it and if you don’t have the top kids doing it, I just don’t know how much water it’s going to hold anyway. I don’t know how long it’s going take. I just don’t know how much water it’s going to hold anyway. I don’t know how long it’s going take. They’re not going to follow…
..
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Golf Monthly RSS Feed…