Justin Thomas’ brutal dig at LIV Golf star Mito Pereira may have been made behind closed doors at the PGA Championship last year – but the joke was picked up by the Netflix: Full Swing cameras.
During the US PGA Champions’ dinner, Justin Thomas couldn’t resist taking a playful jab at Mito Pereira, a prominent LIV Golf star. Interestingly, thanks to Netflix’s Full Swing, the Chilean golfer happened to witness this lighthearted remark.
The Netflix cameras captured the scenes during the 2023 Champions’ dinner, where all the past winners gathered before the tournament. The current champion organizes the menu and leads the event, and in the previous year, it was 2022 winner Thomas who took on the role.
The American rose to his feet, ready to propose a toast, and playfully took a dig at last year’s runner-up, Pereira. Thomas had been closely following Pereira until the last hole, but Pereira’s unfortunate bogey cost him a spot in the play-off, allowing Thomas to emerge victorious against Will Zalatoris.
During his toast, Thomas humorously remarked, “I’d like to raise a glass to Mito Pereira personally, because this moment wouldn’t be possible without him,” which sparked uproarious laughter among his fellow champions.
However, Pereira himself wasn’t too pleased with the joke and expressed his discontent. Surprisingly, he found out about the dig on Netflix.
Pereira expressed to Barstool Sports that the situation was not enjoyable for him or anyone else. He mentioned observing negative feedback on Instagram regarding the incident. Pereira also stated that he is not particularly close to the individual involved, so he does not plan on addressing the issue directly. While it did sting a bit, he does not feel compelled to confront the person about it.
It ignites a spark within you. If that situation arises again, I would love the opportunity to come out on top.
Pereira will be participating in the upcoming LIV Golf Miami event, whereas Thomas is taking a break to prepare for the Masters next week and will not be competing in the PGA Tour’s Texas Open this weekend.
The two-time major champion will head to Augusta with a fresh face on the bag, as he recently parted ways with his longtime caddy, Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay. Thomas made the announcement this week, ending their three-year partnership.
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