LIV Golf’s Pat Perez faces a murky future on the Saudi-backed tour, battling both lackluster performance and lingering controversy from his feud with golf legend Tiger Woods. After a tough season, the Arizona-born golfer narrowly avoided relegation, ending the 2024 season just 1.56 points clear of the automatic drop zone. But with free agency looming, Perez’s standing with LIV Golf remains precarious, as he faces uncertain prospects for a 2025 contract renewal.
Perez has been a polarizing figure on the circuit, openly clashing with Woods, a vocal critic of LIV Golf. During an episode of the Son of a Butch podcast, Perez lambasted Woods’ criticism of LIV, calling it “the stupidest —- I have ever heard of in my life.” He went on to accuse Woods of hypocrisy, citing Woods’ lucrative sponsorships and luxury lifestyle.
Adding fuel to the fire, Perez’s wife, Ashley, took a public shot at Woods following his 2021 car crash, scornfully posting on Instagram about the dangers of driving under the influence and showing little sympathy for the 15-time major champion.
Perez’s performance slump only compounds his woes. Finishing 48th in the 2024 LIV standings, Perez barely scraped by, thanks to a final-round 71 from fellow competitor Kalle Samooja, which gave Perez a lifeline. Now, with the potential for a team re-signing in 2025, he must prove he can compete at the level LIV Golf demands if he hopes to secure his spot.
With his blunt personality and ongoing Woods feud, can Perez rise to the occasion and solidify his future in LIV Golf, or will this be the end of his roller-coaster career? As LIV heads into the new season, all eyes are on Perez and his next move.
