Pat Perez is the second LIV Golf player to drop out of the antitrust lawsuit against the TOUR, he confirmed Friday to Sports Illustrated's Bob Harig.
Perez was one of 11 players - including Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau - who originally sued the TOUR on Aug. 3 over their suspensions. Carlos Ortiz reportedly withdrew from the suit on Aug. 9, according to Golf Channel's Rex Hoggard.
"I have no ill feelings toward the PGA TOUR or any of the players," Perez told Harig. "I'm a LIV guy 100 percent. I'm going to play for them. But I don't feel any need to go after the PGA TOUR. They gave me a wonderful opportunity for 21 years. I've got nothing against them, no hard feelings toward anybody."
The 46-year-old told Harig he joined the lawsuit to "back our guys" but admitted that he "didn't really think it through." He also said he no longer expects the two sides will work together to resolve the situation.
"It's too deep; it's too ugly now," said Perez. "I don't see it happening anymore. There's just too much on both sides and it's gotten ugly. I just don't see a resolution, unfortunately. There was a time I did."
While Perez said he's not planning to return to the PGA TOUR, he hasn't resigned his membership because he's interested in possibly playing on the Champions Tour in the future.
On Thursday, the judge presiding over the case set July 23, 2023, as the summary judgment date and Jan. 8, 2024, as the date of the trial. PGA TOUR lawyers noted during the Zoom hearing that multiple golfers had withdrawn from the lawsuit.
