Victor Perez, the French professional golfer, has made headlines as he transitions from the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf’s Cleeks. This change represents his most significant career shift to date. He’s the first player this season to depart the PGA Tour for the rival, Saudi-funded league.
Perez is currently No. 108 in the FedEx Cup standings. When he struggled on the PGA Tour, he took a different path to deliberate. This is surprising as John Huh only had one top-10 finish this season, with a T9 at the RBC Canadian Open. Consequently, he found it hard to establish his place on the tour. The American golfer announced his withdrawal from the RSM Classic on Tuesday. This decision underscores his shaky status in the cutthroat realm of professional golf.
The 32-year-old deftly juggled playing opportunities on the fledgling PGA Tour and the already-established European Tour. He’s the proud owner of three championships on these elite circuits. With an abbreviated schedule on the PGA Tour this year, that brought with it the worry of losing his playing card. He played only at the French Open among tournaments outside of the PGA Tour schedule, which contributed to his declining ranking.
In making this transition, Perez takes over for Frederik Kjettrup on the Cleeks team. Kjettrup, who was just recently relegated from LIV Golf for failing to finish in the top 48 on the points list. Now Perez’s entry into the Cleeks—fantastic news in and of itself—presents an unexpected, thrilling opportunity. Both he and the Dash clearly have a chip on their shoulder, and look to make a big impact next season.
“Joining Cleeks Golf Club for the 2026 season feels like joining golf’s next great chapter, as this club continues to push boundaries, perform at the highest level, and bring fresh energy and vision to the game.” – Victor Perez
This exciting new chapter for Perez dovetails nicely with LIV Golf’s disruptive efforts to reinvent the country club ethos behind the classic golf establishment. This action reflects a major shift taking place in pro golf. Players are looking for more lucrative competition and long-term financial stability.
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