The PGA Tour, under Brian Rolapp, has become quite generous these days. After welcoming back Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed, the PGA Tour has also reinstated Pat Perez. Jumping the ship to the LIV Golf in 2022, Perez made quite a career in the PIF-backed league. Surprisingly, it was Dustin Johnson for whom Perez had to switch his allegiance. 

“I had never talked to anybody from LIV, and all of a sudden I’m at dinner at Memorial, and I got a call from DJ and says, “Hey, bro. I just signed. I’m in London. I need somebody.” I said, “Well, you know, what’s the deal? I’ve never talked to anybody from that group.” And they said, “They’re going to send you a deal,” said Perez, speaking on an episode of the Subpar podcast. 

The next thing he knew was that Perez was mailed his LIV Golf deal. Now, his dilemma was real. On one hand, there was Johnson convincing him to sign for the 4Aces GC. However, on the other hand, the PGA Tour strictly clarified that they would ban any golfers making the switch to LIV.

Eventually, considering his poor form on the PGA Tour, Perez finally decided to give in to Johnson’s request. Thankfully, he did not have to regret his decision. Donning the colors of the 4Aces GC, Perez had quite the upgrade, pocketing a whopping $26 million+ during his LIV playing years. He also came to be known as the lucky charm for his team as Johnson and Co. won $16 million in the first year itself. 

However, despite the financial surge, Perez had little success as a player. In fact, critics labeled him as someone who earned some easy money from the Saudi-backed league. But that did very little to dent the 49-year-old’s confidence. 

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Speaking on all the negativities thrown at him, Perez said at the time, “All the pushback, all the negative comments, everything we’ve gotten—at this point, I really don’t care. … I’m paid. I don’t give a damn.”

Meanwhile, after his merry moments in LIV Golf, Perez is now back on the PGA Tour. But there is one very important clause attached to his reinstatement. 

Why will Pat Perez not play on the PGA Tour immediately? 

Perez is coming to the PGA Tour, once again. But this time, it’s conditional. As per Golfweek, the Tour has already confirmed the 49-year-old’s reinstatement. However, unlike Koepka, Perez will not be eligible to take part in the PGA Tour’s affiliated events as of now. And one major reason for the same is the fact that Perez did not qualify for the ‘Returning Members Program.’

“Players that do not qualify for the Returning Member Program can only be reinstated in accordance with the non-member policy and any applicable disciplinary process,” the PGA Tour said in a statement. 

They further added, “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.”

Surely, this ruling must have been a bitter pill to swallow for the former LIV Golf player. Following a dip in form, Perez found his name at the bottom of the LIV Golf standings in 2024. Taking up the role of an announcer in 2025, he did not step into the greens for the full year. And while he thought that not playing for LIV for a year would exempt him from the ban, Perez does not have a set return timeline with regard to the PGA Tour just yet.