Chile's Pereira, Colombian Munoz make jump to LIV Golf

[February 16, 2023]  (Reuters) - Mito Pereira, who squandered a chance at last year's PGA Championship to become the first Chilean to win one of golf's four majors, is headed to LIV Golf with Colombian Sebastian Munoz, the Saudi-backed circuit said on Wednesday. 

Sep 22, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; International Team golfer Mito Pereira hits his tee shot on the 14th hole during the foursomes match play of the Presidents Cup golf tournament at Quail Hollow Club. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Pereira and Munoz, who are joining a Torque GC team that features captain Joaquin Niemann and Spaniard David Puig, will make their LIV Golf debut next week in Mexico for the first event of the 14-tournament schedule.

Pereira was playing in only his second major at last year's PGA Championship where he calmly built a three-shot lead heading into the final round.

But the pressure of a major proved to be Pereira's undoing as he squandered a one-shot advantage on the 18th hole where he drove into a creek off the tee en route to a double-bogey that knocked him out of a playoff.

Munoz, who missed the cut in his most recent PGA Tour start at last month's Farmers Insurance Open, has one win on the U.S.-based circuit having triumphed at the 2019 Sanderson Farms Championship.

Instead of announcing all its members at once, LIV Golf is unveiling players over three days this week with four squads announced each day starting on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Ed Osmond)

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