Pat Perez made another strong move at the 2026 Senior Open Championship, carding a third-round 67 at Gleneagles to climb into a tie for sixth. For a player serving a PGA Tour-sanctioned suspension, it is another reminder that he is making the most of the senior events available to him.
Perez is only able to appear in a handful of senior majors in 2026 while serving the one-year suspension that began in January. But the results have been encouraging. He tied for fifth at the 2026 Senior PGA Championship in April, finished T8 at the U.S. Senior Open at Scioto Country Club earlier in July, and now sits inside the top six at the Senior Open after a productive day in Scotland.
Pat Perez: “It’s so nice to be back”
Perez said the chance to compete again has been a welcome change after a difficult spell away from regular tournament golf. “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,” he said.
That comment underlines the reality of his current situation. Perez requested reinstatement as a PGA Tour member in January 2026, but he remains ineligible for PGA Tour-sanctioned events until January 1, 2027. In the meantime, the senior stage has given him a competitive outlet, and he has looked increasingly comfortable.
Why the senior game has suited him
Perez’s own words explain why these events have started to suit him. He pointed to the shorter courses and the different kind of thinking required. “It was frustrating, it’s so fun to be back out here and playing again, and I’m really excited. I can’t explain — I’ve been playing well. The courses aren’t as long so I’m able to get in spots that I haven’t been in a long time,” he said.
He added that the challenge is less about power and more about control. “I’m enjoying it and learning as I go. I can’t explain it. There’s bogeys everywhere. I made a ton yesterday. I don’t know, just kind of hitting it where I need to and just trying to plot around and thinking a little bit different, maybe. It’s fun. This kind of golf here, I’ve never really figured out how to do it.”
That is the key point. Perez is not simply surviving on experience; he is adapting his game to a format that rewards patience and strategy. The scores at the 2026 Senior PGA Championship, the U.S. Senior Open and now the Senior Open Championship suggest he is settling into that role quickly.
What comes next for Perez?
There has been talk around whether Pat Perez can build toward a PGA Tour return, but the picture is more immediate than that. The context around his season suggests he sees his future on the PGA Tour Champions rather than as part of a comeback bid on the main tour.
He also referenced the challenge of links golf and the time away from it, saying: “Like Faldo said last week, it’s strategy. It’s hard when you don’t really play — I haven’t played over here since Birkdale.”
That makes his third-round 67 at Gleneagles all the more notable. Perez has already shown enough this summer to suggest he belongs in these fields, and with his PGA Tour eligibility still some way off, the senior circuit may be where his next chapter really takes shape.
