Senior Open Championship Pat Perez shines again at Gleneagles
At the 2026 Senior Open Championship, Pat Perez is again in the hunt after a third-round 67 left him tied for sixth at Gleneagles. The suspended ex-LIV pro has played only a handful of competitive rounds this year, yet keeps contending in senior majors while waiting for his PGA Tour ban to end in 2027.
Key Takeaways
- Pat Perez sits tied for sixth after a Saturday 67 at the ISPS HANDA Senior Open at Gleneagles.
- He remains suspended from PGA Tour-sanctioned events until January 1, 2027, but can play select senior majors.
- In 2026 he tied for fifth at the Senior PGA Championship and tied for eighth at the U.S. Senior Open.
- He intends to play a full PGA Tour Champions season in 2027, exempt via the all-time money list.
What happened at the Senior Open Championship for Pat Perez?
At Gleneagles, the three-time PGA Tour winner opened with a bogey-free 65 on the Kings Course—only his ninth competitive round of 2026—and sat tied for third. A second-round 75 followed, with Perez calling Friday's pins "a little suspect" and admitting he has never played links golf well.
Round 3 changed the week. Perez shot 67 and moved into a tie for sixth heading into Sunday, per GOLF.com. For more trending coverage beyond the ropes, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub.
Why does Pat Perez's Senior Open run matter?
When Perez joined LIV Golf in 2022, he did not expect another path into PGA Tour-sanctioned events. Relegated after 2024, he quit competitive golf and worked as a LIV on-course reporter in 2025. After seeking reinstatement, he drew a one-year suspension that runs through the end of 2026.
Senior majors run by independent bodies still left a narrow window. Those early results—and this Gleneagles charge—matter because they preview what he could do once eligible for a full PGA Tour Champions schedule in 2027. Golf Digest notes he is exempt for Champions via roughly $28.8 million in career PGA Tour earnings, ranking 66th on the all-time money list.
What has Pat Perez said about being back?
"I've played three majors this year. It's so nice to be back. I didn't think there was ever going to be a path for me to get back," Perez told reporters after Saturday's round. He called the return "so fun" and said shorter senior courses help him reach spots he had not seen "in a long time."
On links golf, he said he is "enjoying it and learning as I go," plotting around and thinking differently. Looking ahead, he is grinding at home and eager to "get into a groove next year" once the suspension lifts—while still savoring every rare start he gets now.