After a forgotten year in 2024 on a sporting level, the Chilean views his next challenges with optimism. He does not lose his motivation. He admits that players in his league are fighting for alternative access to the Majors.
Guillermo “Mito” Pereira (29 years old) He participated in Chile at the Los Leones Golf Club Open. He arrived in the country after a difficult season in LIV, where he was far from his best version.
What assessment do you draw from your year?
It wasn’t the same as last year and maybe the last four years. It was a little lower level. I was able to get good results, but I couldn’t connect well with good results and play well. In that regard, it wasn’t the best year, but I think I learned a lot about golf and I’m still looking for things to improve. I learned a lot in golf and also outside of golf. Things that helped me grow.
What was missing?
If I knew exactly, I would have fixed it by now. These are things that can happen in sport, in golf in particular. It’s so variable that you can have one amazing year and play poorly the next year and then play great again. More than anything, I take it as a path to follow in sport and try to improve.
Did you feel there was pressure?
No, I think I’ve been playing well since 2020. I’ve had four good years. More than the pressure, I think there are things that suddenly kick in and don’t work for you and you lose a little confidence. The idea is to be able to brake, to be able to go back a little to continue moving forward.
Do you discuss this with Niemann and his colleagues at Torque?
Yes of course. Beyond talking about it, we’re all still in the same situation and we’re all trying to push each other to improve. Like I told you, this could be a good year or a bad year. It can be simply amazing or it can be very close to being the best year of your life. I think this look is the most important thing.
Don’t you regret moving from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf?
No way. We had a great time, we have a very good team. Between the four of us, we get along very well, we are very close. We really want to grow this team, grow Torque in South America, especially because we are four Latins. The idea is to continue to grow as a team and also within the LIV.
Did your life change when you moved from one circuit to another?
Yes, in any case.
Because?
We have more time for each other, we play less, we travel to amazing places and we have this team that has been wonderful. It’s a nice surprise to be able to play as a team at this level.
Are you aware of the negotiations between the LIV and the PGA?
The truth is that I don’t know anything. We tried to find out, but there isn’t much information on what they do or what they want to achieve. I know there are conversations, but I’m not clear on anything.
What would you like to see happen?
At LIV, we would all like to have access to the Majors.
And add to the ranking?
No, in the Majors more than in the rankings. This is what we are all trying to achieve.
Is your motivation the same as when you were on the PGA Tour?
Yes, it’s just that to get into a major now, you have to do things that you didn’t do before. We need to travel more. We have discussed a lot with LIV, particularly about the fact that we can access the Majors via a LIV ranking. They told us it seemed likely to them. I don’t know when, but they’re trying.
When you say talking, is it with managers?
Yeah.
What are your goals?
Always improve yourself. Not just golf, in everything. A golf goal would be to be able to win a championship, continue to grow with Torque, and finish at the top of the leaderboard as a team. We must continue to take advantage of this format.
How was your experience at the Olympic Games?
It’s always a good experience. It’s nice to play for Chile in a tournament in which golf increasingly plays a leading role, because it only lasts five editions. Every time we talk to you about the Olympic Games, it’s a source of pride and in this case, in France, the peloton was incredible. I met several players that I hadn’t seen for a while. We had a great time with Joaco. It always counts to be able to participate in the Olympic Games.
What do you think of the competition in Chile?
I am very happy to be in Chile. Whenever I can, I come. On vacation or when I have free time. I really like being here. I am very happy to be able to play this Los Leones championship. I’ve been at this club for many years, he’s seen me grow, so I’m happy to be able to be there. The last time I played was in 2018, if I’m not mistaken.
Now he has returned as a face…
Things have been going well the last few years and that means being able to be here, be the face of the Open and try to demonstrate a little bit of what I’ve been doing.
Do you maintain your vision of a golf boom?
Yes, in any case. In Chile, when I go to golf clubs to train or play, we see a lot more people than before, especially children who want to play and improve. They want to be good and they want to get to the PGA or the LIV. I think people are starting to understand a little more about what golf is. Not only do you have to be a certain age to play, but as a child you can have a good time or enjoy it. And there are opportunities to truly succeed in sports.
Niemann had a great year at LIV, how does it feel sharing a team with him right now?
It was a great year. I think we all knew as a team that he could not only have one year like that, but he could have many years like that. After seeing him up close – I think I told him – you’re filled with pride to see all the work he’s done and how well he’s played this year. Not only golf-wise, but how he’s grown personally. He went all the way and came second, but that’s a detail. The most important thing is to see how he has evolved throughout the year, the consistency he has had and what he continues to do in the championships.
Cristóbal del Solar came to the PGA Tour, were you able to speak with him?
I shared a lot with him. We live in the same place, in the United States. In fact, we practice in the same club. I’m very happy that he can make it to the PGA Tour. I think it’s something he’s worked hard for and he really deserves it. He is a very talented player, with a very good attitude. Not only do I think just playing on the PGA Tour is going to make headlines, I think it will do him very well.
Did Del Solar ask you for help? Have you ever been to the PGA…
He asked me certain things, but he knows very well how he plays. You know that all your questions, you can ask Joaco or me and we will be happy to answer you. But at this level, he already knows what to do and he knows how to do it.
Source: Latercera
I am David Jack and I have been working in the news industry for over 10 years. As an experienced journalist, I specialize in covering sports news with a focus on golf. My articles have been published by some of the most respected publications in the world including The New York Times and Sports Illustrated.
