Pat Perez will have to wait to officially step into the greens as a PGA Tour player. While he serves the mandatory 12-month period ban, Perez has resorted to amending some of his past relationships on the tour. After all, the 49-year-old would not like to carry a history where his ex-wife once expressed a desire to ‘punch’ Rory McIlroy in the face!

“Scottie’s doing things I just didn’t think he was going to separate. I didn’t think there was somebody in that group who could set. I really thought it was going to be Rory to be honest with you, because Rory’s action is phenomenal. Huge speed, you know, works his a** off. I just thought he was going to be the one that kind of, you know, he got the grand slam. Obviously, that’s, you know, incredible achievement, but I just thought he was going to be the guy,” said Perez speaking on an episode of the ‘Subpar’ podcast. 

Surely, Perez has all the reasons to praise McIlroy. The Northern Irish golfer consistently drives at a high speed, ranging in excess of 180 mph often. Additionally, his clubhead speed often clocks over 125 mph. In order to achieve the same, McIlroy uses efficient lower-body mechanics that include a strong trail-side shift. He follows it up with a swift re-center coupled with a sudden vertical surge off the lead leg. 

McIlroy’s work ethic, too, is pretty top-notch. McIlroy gave a sneak peek of his hardworking nature in a June 2025 interview.

“I worked incredibly hard on my game from October last year all the way up until April this year. It was nice to sort of see the fruits of my labor come to fruition and have everything happen,” McIlroy said.

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Meanwhile, Perez had a lot more to say about McIlroy. The 49-year-old pointed out how he was amazed to see McIlroy almost displaying similar talents as the legendary Tiger Woods. 

“Tiger is two months older than I am. I met him when we were eight years old. I’ve played against him my whole life, not necessarily lately, but I never thought in my lifetime l’d see a guy play anywhere near that dominant. Obviously, it’s not the same game, but still. I always thought Rory was the closest talent-wise to Tiger,” said Perez. 

Now, there’s no doubt that McIlroy is one of the greatest golfers in the modern day. What is surprising is the fact that Perez has heaped praises on McIlroy in his recent appearance. This kind of feels like an olive branch being extended, as Perez’s ex-wife, Ashley, made some nasty comments about McIlroy in the past. 

The feud in question dates back to the 2023 Ryder Cup. Back then, the European fans were constantly mocking Patrick Cantlay. However, with Cantlay draining a lengthy putt for birdie on the 18th, he put himself and his partner, Wyndham Clark, in a position to win against the duo of Matt Fitzpatrick and McIlroy. 

Soon after the incident, Joe LaCava, Cantlay’s caddie, began stomping around and mocking McIlroy. This did not sit well with the Northern Irish golfer as he perceived LaCava’s action as an attempt at interference with his putt to tie. Reacting to the incident, Perez’s then-wife, Ashley, went on a rant on her Instagram profile. 

She wrote, “I can’t possibly be the only one that would absolutely love to watch Rory get punched in the face 🙂. I mean that in the nicest way possible… kinda 🙃.”

Soon, the comment spread like wildfire, and both Pat and Ashley were subjected to a lot of scrutiny. Cut to the present day, Perez not only praised McIlroy, but he also chipped in with some heavy praise for Scottie Scheffler.

Pat Perez looks utterly impressed with Scottie Scheffler

Perez knows that he will have some serious competition in the PGA Tour. Turning his attention towards the field, he also spoke highly about another emerging great of the game, Scottie Scheffler. 

“This guy’s different. I love the way he goes about his business. It’s just golf, go home, family. No flash, no nothing. He just does what he does and goes home. It’s almost like he doesn’t realize how incredible it is. I watch the feet moving and everything. I can’t get my head around it,” said Perez. 

He further added, “You watch another player in perfect positions, looks like Ray Lewis, winning everything all the time, and then here comes this guy and he’s got shots and the hands.” 

Perez seemed impressed with how Scheffler maintains a low profile despite being a legend in the making. The 49-year-old golfer also praised Scheffler’s knack of winning tournaments and prioritizing his family. Additionally, Perez touched upon his unconventional footwork.

Scheffler is well known for his unorthodox footwork in golf. His feet slide and move back behind him as he swings the club. But despite all that, the World No. 1 had a phenomenal 2025.

In 2025, Scheffler won the PGA Tour Player of the Year for the fourth consecutive time. He won six times, including at the PGA Championship and The Open Championship. Carrying forward his incredible momentum, he won The American Express this year. And now, as Scheffler delivered yet another impressive performance at the WM Phoenix Open, Perez seems quite impressed.