Charles Schwab Challenge: Mito Pereira Bouncing Back From Adversity

After a disastrous finish at Southern Hills Mito Pereira is playing well at the Charles Schwab Challenge

We often hear that one of the key attributes for long-term success in sports is the ability to handle and overcome adversity. If that is true Mito Pereira is going to have a very long and successful career.

Less than a week removed from his devastating collapse on the 18th at the PGA Championship Mito Pereira is just off the first page of the leaderboard heading into the final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas.

The 27-year-old Chilean golfer was applauded throughout the golf and sports world this week after how graciously he handled his shortcoming last Sunday.

Not only did he speak to media, but he was seen smiling and laughing as he answered difficult questions about the moments before and after his tee shot found the water on the 18th hole at Southern Hills Country Club. It was an incredible display of class following adversity like he had never experienced before.

Shortly after carding the double bogey that dropped him from a solo lead to a tie for third Pereira spoke to CBS golf reporter, Amanda Balionis Renner, about what happened and what was going through his head as he hit his tee shot on 18.

"“It was a weird thing,” Pereira says. “I wasn’t thinking about the water. It was weird that it went in. I guess you just have so much pressure in your body, you don’t even know what you’re doing.”"

It’s unusual in sports to get such an insightful and honest answer from an athlete, let alone moments after the biggest mishap in their professional career.

To be able to give an answer like that as he is still trying to process the shock of what happened is incredibly impressive. It felt like Mito would bounce back if he was able to stay positive and continue smiling in the face of adversity. And he did.

The World No. 49 fired a third-round 68 to vault himself up into a tie for ninth heading into the final round in Forth Worth. After a front nine 36 (+1) Pereira was able to birdie three of his final five holes to come home in 32 (-3).

Although he finds himself five back of leader Scottie Scheffler, Mito can rebound from the PGA Championship with a very solid finish at the Charles Schwab Challenge if he’s able to finish strong on Sunday.

In an interview with Dylan Dethier of golf.com, there was a quote from Pereira that stuck with me and has echoed as he’s performed well this week. “I’m just happy with how the week turned out,” Mito said. “I’m hoping to take this to learn for the future.”

I’m willing to bet Mito will have a lot of golf fans rooting for him to finish strong tomorrow. Keep an eye on him throughout the rest of the season, I would be surprised if we don’t see him in contention a few more times in 2022.