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'I thought you were suspended': Pat Perez from LIV Golf to Senior PGA
TL;DR
Pat Perez, who turned 50 in March, is competing in the 2026 Senior PGA Championship after being reinstated by the PGA Tour in January. Unlike some former LIV Golf players, he must sit out the entire 2026 season from PGA Tour-sanctioned events due to his unique membership status.
Pat Perez is one of the more interesting names on the tee sheet at the 2026 Senior PGA Championship. Not so much because after turning 50 in March (which makes him eligible for three senior majors in 2026, including the PGA), but more so because he is competing once again alongside so many players he used to face on the PGA Tour.
Perez spent three years as a player and one as a broadcaster for LIV Golf. He was reinstated by the PGA Tour in January, but has a lot of work to do to become a full member once again.
More: What are PGA Tour players saying about LIV Golf shutting down rumors?
When he left the Tour, he never resigned his membership, meaning his penalties are different than those Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed have received as they make (or have made) their returns. But instead of being able to return later this year, like Reed is aiming for, Perez must sit out the entire 2026 season from PGA Tour-sanctioned events (PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions, Korn Ferry Tour).
Pat Perez hits his shot on the driving range aheda of the 2026 Senior PGA Championship at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida.
The Senior PGA, however, is run by the PGA of America and that tournament has its own eligibility rules.
That's a long way of saying: Perez is in the field at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida, where it didn't take long for someone to razz him a little bit, including Stewart Cink, who saw Perez on the practice range and yelled out: "I thought you were suspended!"
"You know, he's not wrong," Perez said on Wednesday. "Yeah, I am suspended for a year. There was no surprise in that. I knew that that was going to happen. I'm just grateful and fortunate to be here. The [PGA] Tour gave me a lifeline to come back and play. Couldn't be more appreciative for it. It's going to be next year, which is, you know, not the end of the world."
The PGA Tour instituted a program that made only a select few eligible. Brooks Koepka was the only one who accepted those terms.
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“Players that do not qualify for the Returning Member Program can only be reinstated in accordance with the nonmember policy and any applicable disciplinary process,” the PGA Tour said in a statement in January. “At his request, Pat Perez was reinstated as a member but is not eligible to participate in PGA Tour-affiliated tournaments at this time. The PGA Tour does not comment on disciplinary matters.”
When exactly Perez can play in PGA Tour events remains to be seen.
"The Tour makes the rules. We all knew them. I think I might have known them better than anybody, but you know, just grateful. I'm grateful to be out and have the chance to play, but the players have been great. I talked to some really big names out here, and they're all excited for me to be out here. It's been great."
In addition to the Senior PGA, Perez is also eligible to compete in the U.S. Senior Open and the Senior British Open.
Will he be ready for this week?
"I didn't touch a club last year from January until September, end of September. It was awesome. Didn't even think about it, because I was only doing TV," he said. He was then asked to clarify if he really meant January to September.
"I did not touch a club," he said.
There seems to be a certain thrill for Perez to be back with so many recognizable names.
"They've been great. I'm a rookie again. I've actually got something funny for you," he said. "My first year on tour was '02. I played the Sony Open with Ken Tanigawa. This week is my first senior event, and I'm playing with Ken Tanigawa. I mean, you couldn't make that up if you had to."
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Pat Perez to tee it up at Senior PGA after leaving LIV Golf
Q&A
Why is Pat Perez competing in the 2026 Senior PGA Championship?
Pat Perez is competing in the 2026 Senior PGA Championship because he turned 50 in March, making him eligible for senior majors.
What is Pat Perez's status with the PGA Tour after LIV Golf?
Pat Perez was reinstated by the PGA Tour in January but must sit out the entire 2026 season from PGA Tour-sanctioned events.
How does Pat Perez's membership status differ from other LIV Golf players?
Pat Perez did not resign his PGA Tour membership when he left, resulting in different penalties compared to players like Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed.
What are the implications of Pat Perez's return to the PGA Tour?
Pat Perez's return to the PGA Tour indicates a shift in his career, but he faces challenges in regaining full membership and competing in sanctioned events.
