Ex-LIV Golf Pro Shares Bizarre $1 Million Golf Gambling Story That Gave Him Fifty Thousand Check at 16

Pat Perez has played professional golf for 29 years, and over that time, the three-time PGA Tour champion has been at the center of plenty of memorable stories. However, there’s one he remains hesitant to recount on camera. Still, while appearing on the Vanity Index Podcast a few days ago, the quinquagenarian opened up about a bizarre $1 million golf gambling story that saw him pocket $50,000 at just 16 years old.

“I’ve been in a match when I was 16,” he began after being pressured to reveal the story. “There was a guy named Huck Seed who won the World Series of Poker [and] was just starting to play golf. He worked [with] my coach, Carl Welty. [There] was a guy [who] made him a bet for a million dollars that said, ‘I’ll give you one year to break 90.’”

Perez explained that Seed had never even touched a golf club before approaching Carl. Nevertheless, Seed told Carl that he needed to break 90 to win a bet he had made with another poker player. For those unfamiliar with the term, “breaking 90” in golf means shooting 89 or fewer strokes over 18 holes.

But back to the bizarre story, Perez revealed that despite having no prior golfing experience, Seed somehow managed to shoot an 88 and win the bet.

“He broke it,” Perez added. “But in those matches, when he was learning to play, he’d bring these other guys out. He’s like [$50K] here, 50 here, 50 here. I’m 16, bro. I don’t have $5 [to] my name. All of a sudden, I’m playing for 50 grand a hole, 50 here, 50 here. I don’t know what the hell they’re talking about. Never even heard of that kind of money.”

He explained that serious gamblers, particularly poker players, often wagered staggering amounts of money. He added that Shadow Creek had likely witnessed its fair share of incredible gambling stories, suggesting that “if the holes could talk,” they would have plenty of tales to tell. 

As for Perez himself, during a 2019 interview at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas, Perez spoke fondly of his time in the city, particularly his stays at MGM Resorts. He explained that the MGM “hooks us up” and that the resort takes great care of him and his fellow golfers. 

Perez also praised its restaurants and said they enjoy “some good wine” while simply hanging out there. However, despite spending plenty of time around casinos, Perez admitted that gambling was not really his thing. “I don’t really gamble much, but there is a lot to do in those casinos,” he said.

Regardless, this comes after Perez severed his ties with LIV Golf.

When will Pat Perez play on the PGA Tour?

Perez’s competitive LIV Golf career ended after the 2024 season, when he finished 48th in the individual standings. His contract with Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC expired on January 1, 2025, and he was removed from the team’s roster. However, he remained with LIV Golf throughout 2025, working as an on-course analyst and reporter for the league’s broadcast team.

His complete departure came in January 2026, when Perez requested reinstatement to the PGA Tour. The Tour officially reinstated him on January 13, but imposed a mandatory one-year disciplinary suspension through the end of 2026. Perez also turned 50 in March 2026, opening the door to PGA Tour Champions competition. 

Therefore, his suspension means he will not return to the PGA Tour during 2026. He can resume competing on the PGA Tour from January 1, 2027. But until then, perhaps he could reveal such never-before-heard stories.

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