Mito Pereira Talks 2022 PGA Championship Collapse: 'I Thought I Was Going to Win'
May 22, 2022
TULSA, OK - MAY 22: Mito Pereira of Chile hits his shot from the seventh tee during the final round of the 2022 PGA Championship at the Southern Hills on May 22, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
Mito Pereira was a single ball rotation away from a birdie on No. 17 and a two-stroke lead with one hole to play in Sunday's final round at the 2022 PGA Championship.
Now he will be the talk of the tournament because of his collapse.
Pereira still needed just a par on the final hole at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to win the tournament, but he hit his drive into the water, added a poor chip across the green and finished with a double-bogey to fall out of the lead.
"On 18, I wasn't even thinking about the water," he said, per Eric Bailey of the Tulsa World. "I just wanted to put it into play."
"I was really nervous. I tried to handle it a little bit, but it's really tough. I thought I was going to win on 18, but it is what it is. "
It was a gut-wrenching moment in what could have been a career-defining victory for the 27-year-old.
Pereira is yet to win on the PGA Tour and could have added a major title to his resume. He still came a long way from his mindset heading into the tournament.
"On Monday, I wanted to make the cut. On Sunday, I wanted to win," he said, per Pat Doney of 105.3 The Fan.
The putt on No. 17 and the collapse on the final hole stand out because he was the center of attention on a national stage, but Pereira could have clinched the win far before that last two-hole stretch. After all, he shot a two-under 68 in the first round, six-under 64 in the second round and one-under 69 in the third round.
His five-over 75 in Sunday's final round stands out compared to that consistency.
Pereira bogeyed Nos. 3, 7, 8, 12 and 14 as well as he struggled to hold off a list of challengers that included Justin Thomas, Will Zalatoris and Cameron Young. It seemed like he would do just that despite some impressive charges around him, particularly from Thomas, but he was unable to finish the job.
The double-bogey on the last hole meant Thomas and Zalatoris advanced to a three-hole playoff to determine the champion.
As for Pereira, he will likely have plenty of fans pulling for him in future tournaments even after coming up short Sunday.
PGA Championship 2022: Mito Pereira Holds 3-stroke Lead Entering Final Round
May 22, 2022
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - MAY 21: Mito Pereira of Chile reacts to his putt on the 18th green during the third round of the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on May 21, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Tough weather conditions made for an interesting third round at the PGA Championship on Saturday, as players had to overcome unexpected challenges to make their way up the leaderboard.
Mito Pereira (-9) is now in the lead after shooting a one-under 69 to overtake the top spot. Pereira had entered the round in second place.
Pereira will have a three-stroke lead heading into the final round Sunday.
Will Zalatoris, who was the leader after the second round, opened with four bogeys in his first seven holes. He finished with a three-over 73 to fall into a tie for second with Matt Fitzpatrick, who shot a three-under 67 to make a leap.
Here's a look at the top-10 leaderboard as well as other notable scores heading into the final round, plus a deeper dive into Saturday's action including Tiger Woods' massive struggles that led to his withdrawal from the event.
PGA Championship Top 10 Leaderboard
1. Mito Pereira (-9)
T2. Will Zalatoris (-6)
T2. Matt Fitzpatrick (-6)
4. Cameron Young (-5)
5. Abraham Ancer (-4)
6. Seamus Power (-3)
T7. Bubba Watson (-2)
T7. Justin Thomas (-2)
T7. Stewart Cink (-2)
T10. Webb Simpson (-1)
T10. Chris Kirk (-1)
T10. Max Homa (-1)
T10. Sam Burns (-1)
T10. Davis Riley (-1)
T10. Gary Woodland (-1)
T10. Lucas Herbert (-1)
Other Notables: Rory McIlroy (E), Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler (+2), Brooks Koepka (+4), Jordan Spieth and Jason Day (+5), Hideki Matsuyama (+6), Collin Morikawa and Jon Rahm (+8), Tiger Woods (+12)
After opening the back nine with bogeys in two of his first three holes, Pereira finished strong. He shot under three on the remaining six holes, birdieing Nos. 13, 14 and 18, to save the day.
Mito Pereira becomes the first player to hold the outright 54-hole lead in their PGA Championship debut since John Daly in 1991.
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) May 21, 2022
It's the first time in Pereira's career that he holds the lead after any round in any PGA Tour event.
Fitzpatrick recorded back-to-back bogeys to start the round, but he quickly recovered. The 27-year-old played a clean back nine and closed with two straight birdies to vault into contention.
Cameron Young made a jump into the top five thanks to a late surge. He recorded an eagle on the 17th hole to put himself in great position heading into Sunday.
Webb Simpson had the best round of the day with a five-under 65 to crack the top 10. He played a clean back nine that included three birdies and an eagle.
Fist bumps and smiles all around for Webb Simpson after this EPIC eagle to get to 3-under on Saturday. 🤛😀 #PGAChamp | @PGAChampionship
Woods had the roughest time dealing with the weather conditions Saturday. Playing in just his second event since last year's devastating car crash, the 46-year-old looked visibly uncomfortable on the green. He even had a triple bogey on the sixth hole.
Woods recorded five consecutive bogeys for just the second time in his career, the other time coming in the first round of the 1996 U.S. Open. He managed to finish under one on his final five holes to break 80. Still, a nine-over 79 was the worst round of his storied career at the PGA Championship. It's also the third-worst round of his major career and the fifth-worst round of his professional career overall.
Tiger Woods posts his highest career round at the PGA Championship with a 79.
The final round of the PGA Championship will commence Sunday at 8 a.m. ET. Coverage will start on ESPN+ and then get picked up by ESPN at 10 a.m. ET before finishing on CBS at 1 p.m. ET.
Tiger Woods Withdraws from 2022 PGA Championship Before Final Round Because of Injury
May 21, 2022
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - MAY 21: Tiger Woods of the United States reacts to his putt on the 18th green during the third round of the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on May 21, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Tiger Woods withdrew from the 2022 PGA Championship following the third round of the tournament Saturday.
The 15-time major champion acknowledged before withdrawing that he might not compete in the final round Sunday because of pain in his surgically repaired right leg.
"I'm sore. I know that is for a fact," he said. "We'll do some work and see how it goes."
In his first event since a car crash in February 2021, Woods started well at the Masters but looked worse as the tournament unfolded.
At Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the struggles started at the outset. He carded a four-over 74 in the first round, after which he said his leg was giving him trouble.
"I just can't load it," Woods told reporters. "Loading hurts, pressing off it hurts, walking hurts, and twisting hurts. It's just golf. I don't play that—if I don't do that—then I'm all right."
A one-under 69 in the second round helped him make the cut before he endured his worst round ever in the PGA Championship. He couldn't reach the green on the 218-yard par-three sixth hole, finding the water with his tee shot en route to a double bogey. At one point, he bogeyed five straight holes as well.
A birdie on No. 15 provided little respite.
After battling through a tough round, Tiger Woods picks up his first birdie of the day. pic.twitter.com/XYMVFfcSKj
When the dust settled, Woods had finished nine over and was in a tie for last at 12 over.
The fact he was so far down the leaderboard might have made the decision easier for the 46-year-old.
This will cast doubt on Woods' status for the U.S. Open, which will tee off June 16 in Brookline, Massachusetts. Though he has filed to enter the event, that's no guarantee.
PGA Championship 2022 Tee Times: Pairings and Predictions for Sunday Schedule
May 21, 2022
Mito Pereira, of Chile, chips to the green on the fourth hole during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Southern Hills Country Club, Saturday, May 21, 2022, in Tulsa, Okla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
The Wanamaker Trophy is within reach for a handful of golfers going into Sunday at the 2022 PGA Championship.
Mito Pereira came out of Saturday's third round with the lead, but he was not convincing enough around Southern Hills Country Club to be declared as the clear-cut favorite as much as Scottie Scheffler was at The Masters.
Will Zalatoris, Matt Fitzpatrick and Cameron Young all had their chances to stake claim to the top position on Saturday.
Zalatoris dropped out of the 36-hole lead, but he battled back to remain within striking distance of Pereira, who was his Saturday playing partner.
Fitzpatrick and Young used surges on the back nine to insert their names into the major-winning conversation. Fitzpatrick rolled in four birdies in the final nine holes, while Young birdied the 17th hole to get to five-under.
The common factor between the four leaders is that none of them have won a major championship in their careers.
Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson, Stewart Cink and Webb Simpson all reside in the top 10 with major titles on their respective resumes. The last major won by that group was Thomas' 2017 triumph at the PGA Championship, but they all still now how to handle the pressure on Sunday at a major tournament.
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) May 22, 2022
Predictions
Mito Pereira Struggles To Hold Lead
Mito Pereira started strong and finished well on Saturday, but the in between holes were not as great.
The Chilean suffered bogeys on four holes between No. 8 and No. 12 before he rebounded with birdies at the 13th, 14th and 18th holes.
The inconsistency shown by Pereira on the middle holes leaves some doubt that he will maintain his lead throughout the final round.
Pereira only owns three bogeys on the front nine at Southern Hills, but two of them came before the turn on Saturday.
The struggles around the turn may affect Pereira's play during the final round as the pressure increases as the holes wind down.
Pereira could turn around that form with some solid pars, or even an early birdie to settle his nerves, but his play on Saturday did not inspire 100 percent confidence that he will finish the job on Sunday.
Matt Fitzpatrick Once Again Produces Steady Round
Matt Fitzpatrick is the only golfer other than Pereira with three under-par rounds at Southern Hills.
The Englishman moved up to six-under with a three-under 67 on Saturday.
Fitzpatrick carded scores of 68, 69 and 67 so far in Tulsa, Oklahoma and another similar round could be enough for him to land first place.
Most of the other golfers in the field struggled with consistency and bogeyed a handful of holes before bouncing back on Saturday.
Fitzpatrick took advantage of the yo-yoing on the leaderboard with six birdies and one bogey in the final 16 holes that erased a back-to-back bogey start.
The bad start from Fitzpatrick would be the only concern about his title contention, but he proved on Saturday that he could rebound from that and put himself near the top of the leaderboard.
Bubba Watson, Justin Thomas Challenge For Win
Bubba Watson and Justin Thomas did not crater their winning chances on Saturday, like Rory McIlroy did.
The pair of former major winners salvaged their third rounds enough to be in contention for the Wanamaker Trophy.
All it takes is a two-or-three-shot swing that features dropped shots out of Pereira or others and early birdies from Watson and Thomas to change their fortunes on Sunday.
Watson, who last won a major at The Masters in 2014, has not been a fixture in the top 10 ever since. He has a single top 10 performance from The Masters in 2018 on his resume.
The left-handed golfer surged back into major relevancy with a second-round 63, which is the lowest round of the tournament to date.
Watson already proved on Friday that he could reel off a string of birdies on the front nine, and he could bank off those results to make an early push on Sunday afternoon.
Thomas hung around in the top 10 despite recording six bogeys during the third round. The third-round 74 is not a great sign for his title contention, but it has been hard for anyone to stay under par all weekend.
Thomas carded four birdies on the front nine in the opening two rounds. He could use those holes as a catalyst to get close to Pereira.
Watson and Thomas do not go into Sunday off great closing stretches. They both bogeyed the 18th hole, but they can bounce back and bank on their experience to put pressure on Pereira.
Tiger Woods' 3rd-Round Struggles at PGA Championship Stir Debate About Future
May 21, 2022
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - MAY 21: Tiger Woods of the United States plays his shot from the first tee during the third round of the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on May 21, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/PGA of America/PGA of America via Getty Images )
A day after Tiger Woods gritted his teeth and fought his way to a one-under 69 to make the cut at the 2022 PGA Championship, his body failed him.
Woods shot a nine-over score of 79 in Saturday's third round, one of his worst-ever scores in a major championship. The 15-time major winner carded seven bogeys against just one birdie and put up an ugly six on the par-three sixth that served as the nadir of his tournament.
Social media was buzzing with concern as Woods clearly struggled to physically make his way through the round.
It’s hard watching Tiger be in so much pain. The fight he has to get through this round is incredible
They don't think about their old selves the way we do. They're obsessive about their craft, and they keep obsessing internally even as the skill diminishes. People thought it was sad to watch Jordan struggled. He didn't five a single f---. He liked competing. It's all he knew.
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) May 21, 2022
I have no idea how Tiger is going to compete in the British Open. Cold temperatures are hell on his aching body. So tough for him to get loosened up in the cold. Four straight days like today at Southern Hills? Oh boy.
Woods is playing in his second tournament since coming back from a February 2021 car crash that nearly led to the amputation of his right leg.
Both tournaments have followed a similar script, featuring solid-enough Thursdays and Fridays before his body failed him over the weekend. At the Masters, Woods managed to stay afloat well enough to finish in 47th place.
At the PGA, Woods is currently in a tie for 76th. Sepp Straka is the only player who made the cut who has a lower overall score.
It's been both admirable and difficult to watch Woods try to tough it out and compete at the highest level while still clearly moving in a diminished state. His pure determination is what made him arguably the greatest athlete of his generation.
That said, it's clear Tiger is going to see this through and push his body to the brink—for better or for worse.
Most of the conversation surrounding the third round of the 2022 PGA Championship will be about Will Zalatoris and the golfers at the top of the leaderboard...
Tiger Woods on Making Cut at PGA Championship: Mission Is to Win This Thing Somehow
May 20, 2022
TULSA, OK - MAY 20: Tiger Woods eyes a put during the PGA Championship on May 20, 2022, at the Southern Hills C.C. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by David Stacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Tiger Woods made the cut Friday at the PGA Championship, though he kept it close, shooting a one-under 69 to move to three over for the tournament.
Woods was clearly battling through pain through the entirety of the round, but he still has a goal in mind.
"There's a mission," he told ESPN's Michael Eaves after the second round (h/t Jason Sobel of the Action Network). "The mission is to go ahead and win this thing somehow."
Woods also told Eaves he couldn't load up on his right leg, similar to Thursday when the star golfer began to noticeably limp about halfway through the round.
"There's a lot of things [I can't do]," he said. "That's just the way it is. Luckily over the course of my career, I've used my hands quite well and gotta rely on feel and hit shots. When you're out there, you know, it's about hitting the ball the right number and getting it done. It wasn't exactly the way I wanted it to be, it wasn't pretty."
It was similar to what he said after the first round.
"I just can't load it," he told reporters. "Loading hurts, pressing off it hurts, walking hurts and twisting hurts. It's just golf. I don't play that, if I don't do that, then I'm all right."
Unlike Thursday, however—when Woods shot a four-over 74 and had five bogeys and just one birdie on the back nine—the veteran golfer fought through the pain to shoot under par Friday.
Even Rory McIlroy was impressed by his resolve:
Rory said, if he were Tiger, he would have thought about WD’ing after the agonizing 74. But Tiger didn’t. “He’s proven he’s different,” Rory said. Called another made cut in a major “unbelievable” and a “monumental effort.”
The will and determination from @TigerWoods in competition is something out of this world. Competing at the highest level and surviving to make the cut on one leg is astonishing. #PGAChampionship
As for Woods winning in Tulsa, well, that's a long shot. He would have to make up a double-digit stroke deficit to catch current leader Will Zalatoris, which seems unlikely given Woods' physical limitations.
But the fight is still there. That's plenty impressive enough.
Tiger Woods' Toughness Praised by Fans After Making Cut at 2022 PGA Championship
May 20, 2022
TULSA, OK - MAY 20: Tiger Woods hits his shot from the tenth tee during the second round of the 2022 PGA Championship at the Southern Hills on May 20, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
Tiger Woods isn't going to win the PGA Championship. On Friday, he flirted with missing the cut, shooting a one-under 69 to move to three-over for the tournament. He clearly was battling through pain the entire day, trying to will himself over the cut line.
But he fought like hell, and golf fans and pundits alike absolutely adored him for it:
I shouldn't be as surprised, but Tiger is fighting *like hell* for no reason other than that's all he knows how to do. He has nothing to prove. Nothing to really gain by squeaking by the cut. In significant pain. But his pride won't let him mail it in. One of a kind person.
Second tournament in almost two years, limping, outside the cutline and desperately needing a birdie and @TigerWoods is slinging a big draw with a wedge into a pin. ❤️
Really impressive that a guy with 15 major championships who still maintains that his only reason for competing is to win will grind out a Friday afternoon cut line while playing in pain.
Watching Tiger absolutely rip people apart in his prime was great fun and terrific entertainment. Watching him proudly grind his way to a made cut at a major he has no chance of winning on nothing but stingers and resolve is a far more emotionally inspiring performance.
He was also in noticable pain Thursday, when he shot four-over and could be seen limping at points on the course.
"I just can't load it," he told reporters after that round regarding his surgically-repaired and still-recovering right leg. "Loading hurts, pressing off it hurts, walking hurts and twisting hurts. It's just golf. I don't play that, if I don't do that, then I'm all right."
That right leg, injured in a car crash in Feb. 2021, kept him out of competitive play until this year's Masters, where he finished 47th and struggled through the weekend. At those Masters, simply playing was a triumph, and there was no guarantee he would participate in this year's PGA Championship in Tulsa.
But he chose to play, and on Friday he chose to fight.
And that's the main takeaway from Friday—that even in a tournament where he isn't in contention, the fight and grit he displayed nonetheless made him one of the central figures of the event.
The golf world, as always, orbits around Tiger.
Tiger Woods' Banged-Up 1st Round Puts Him in Trouble at 2022 PGA Championship
May 19, 2022
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - MAY 19: Tiger Woods of the United States reacts to his shot on the 15th hole during the first round of the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on May 19, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/PGA of America/PGA of America via Getty Images )
Tiger Woods had a rough showing in the first round of the PGA Championship on Thursday at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, finishing with a four-over 74 and toward the bottom of the leaderboard.
Woods, who began on the back nine, got off to a hot start, carding two birdies through the first five holes. However, his day fell apart from there as he carded seven bogeys and just one more birdie to close out the first round.
On the 18th tee, Woods came up limping after hitting a tee shot, which is a big concern for the 46-year-old, who suffered significant leg injuries in a February 2021 car crash.
Speaking with reporters after finishing up the first day of action, Woods said his leg "is not feeling as good as I'd like it to be."
"I just can't load it. Loading hurts. Pressing off it hurts. Walking hurts. Twisting hurts," Woods added. "It's just golf. If I don't do that, I'll be OK."
This marks another disappointing performance from Woods, who finished the Masters at Augusta National in 47th, finishing 13-over par. He's in danger of missing the cut at Southern Hills.
Woods' performance drew mixed reaction on social media. While many were happy to see him back out on the course, they still mentioned his poor performance.
I think I'm more wowed by Tiger Woods than I ever have been. As I said during the Masters, this is just next level stuff. Extraordinary competitor. He shouldn't even be near playing a major again really.
Woods definitely isn't at 100 percent yet, and it's unclear if he ever will be following the crash. After the Masters, he told reporters he would never play a full schedule again and would only compete in major events.
Woods will look to bounce back with a solid showing on Day 2 of the PGA Championship, but considering that his leg has been bothering him, it's unclear if he can compete at a high level.
