Staunch LIV Golf rebel who took aim at Tiger Woods after jumping ship now fears 2025 axe

Staunch LIV Golf rebel who took aim at Tiger Woods after jumping ship now fears 2025 axe

Pat Perez Faces Possible Relegation from LIV Golf: A Twist of Fate for the Rebel Golfer

No rebel player has lauded LIV Golf more than Pat Perez, but now the American faces the prospect of a humiliating downfall in the Saudi-backed venture. The 48-year-old, one of the first big-name players to jump ship from the PGA Tour in June 2022, is in danger of finishing in the ‘Drop Zone’ in the 2024 standings, potentially leading to his relegation from the tour for next season.

Perez is currently 47th in the individual standings with just five events of the LIV season remaining. The first of these crucial tournaments will take place in Valderrama, Spain, from July 14-16, followed by events in Rocester in the UK, and West Virginia, Chicago, and Dallas in the USA.

Players who finish 49th or lower at the end of the year risk losing their positions in the lucrative series. And the possibility of those who are cut being offered an olive branch appears remote, given Greg Norman and company are expected to target more big names from the PGA Tour to replace them for 2025.

Perez tasted glory in the inaugural LIV campaign as part of Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces team that won the Team Championship title. Following that victory, he took a bold stance against Tiger Woods, who had questioned the motivation of LIV stars to improve, knowing they could earn big money regardless.

“That’s the stupidest s*** I have ever heard in my life,” ranted Perez on the Son of a Butch podcast. “That’s one of the stupidest things I think he has said. The incentive is the fact that last place is £120,000, first place is £4 million. You cannot win £4 million on the PGA Tour. He had a lot of guarantees. You know what, and he was the hottest thing. He’s made so much money off the course, he found incentive to go.”

Perez was vocal from the moment he signed a deal with LIV, having previously won three times on the PGA Tour. Initially, he vowed not to become embroiled in conflict with his former colleagues, a promise he has since reneged on.

“I have no ill feelings toward the PGA Tour or any of the players. I’m a LIV guy 100 percent,” he said at the time. “I’m going to play for them. But I don’t feel any need to go after the PGA Tour.”

Perez isn’t the only star currently looking over his shoulder. 4Aces teammate Harold Varner III and South African Branden Grace are also at serious risk of falling into the relegation spots.

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, however, is safe despite being in the bottom five. Watson leads the Range Goats GC team, with captains currently exempt from being demoted.

As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Perez and his fellow competitors to see if they can escape the looming threat of relegation and secure their spots in the highly competitive LIV Golf series.