In these times of madness, with tournaments that distribute 25 million dollars in prizes and stratospheric signings that break the bank, every now and then characters with their feet on the ground appear who use common sense to explain reality better than anyone else. In this case we are talking about the American Peter Malnati, who used the powerful platform that last night’s achievement of winning the Valspar Championship, the second victory of his career on the PGA Tour, gave him to deliver a speech that deserves full attention.
“When my son Hatcher was born in 2019, I removed all social media from my phone and I am a happier person. It’s not that social media is bad, but I didn’t use it particularly well because I always read the comments and wanted to interact, something that was not healthy for me. So I decided to remove everything. I don’t specifically know what is being said about me, about the PGA Tour or about our sport in general, but what I do know is the direction that has been taken in the last two years”, began Malnati.
“I feel that this victory, first of all, is important for me, for my family, for my caddie and for the team of people who support me. But on a larger scale, it is also for Tampa, for the Copperheads, for Valspar and for all the PGA Tour events that are in this new ecosystem wondering where they fit in and if they matter. I want the people of the Copperheads, of Tampa and of Valspar to know that there are thousands of Peter Malnatis who are 10 years old right now, or are teenagers, and dream of playing golf on the PGA Tour and living the moment I just lived. And if we don’t have communities that believe in what the circuit does and sponsors that support it, we won’t have these moments”, he added.
“I know that the narrative now revolves a lot around the fact that we are getting to Augusta, we are preparing for the majors, we are in that part of the season. As for the people who play golf at the highest level, 90% of us dream of the moment I just lived. There is a 10% that probably orient their agendas to focus on the majors. But 90% of those who have reached the highest level of professional golf and 100% of the people who dream of being here live for a moment like the one I have had today”, he detailed.
Surreal victory for @PeterMalnati and his family ❤️ pic.twitter.com/KXlKqP6Maq
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 25, 2024
“It’s something incredible. I’m proud of myself, I worked very hard, I’m proud of my family, they supported me to the fullest, but that would be worth nothing if we don’t have tournaments to play or communities that think these tournaments matter, or if we don’t have host organizations like the Copperheads or the many others around the country. Without them, we don’t have a PGA Tour. So this victory is for them and for all those people who wonder what the meaning of their event is”, Malnati confessed after his triumph.
“Your event means that entertainment comes to your community, that the dreams of people like me are fulfilled and that somehow wealth is returned to the place where we play. This tournament is a shining example of that, I couldn’t be prouder and more honored to win, to win here, to win an event like this. I want all tournaments to know that every event on the PGA Tour, every event on the Korn Ferry Tour, every event on the PGA Tour America matters”, he concluded on this matter.
“You wonder if you’re ever going to do it again.”
The emotions come out as @PeterMalnati reflects on his second TOUR win @ValsparChamp. pic.twitter.com/Oc1ehqwjZ2
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 24, 2024
A victory in front of his family
In his extensive appearance before the media, Malnati also recalled that the Valspar was the first victory he could celebrate with his entire family. In his previous triumph, nine years ago, he was not yet a father. “That moment of winning a tournament and your family coming out to the green to hug you… That’s something I’ve seen many families do and it’s been my dream. There have been many moments in the last nine years when I’ve wondered if I would ever be able to live that experience”, he said.
“I’m satisfied with who I am, with my way of life and with the work I’ve put into this. If I had never been able to live this moment, everything would have been fine anyway. But I have to admit that it was something very special, an incredible experience, the reward for all the hard work, for all the times I’ve gotten on that plane and flown away from my family while they stayed at home. Everything has served to prepare this moment”, he confessed.
“I don’t think I’ve fully absorbed all of this yet. You know? Golf wasn’t my thing when I was a kid. I didn’t come from a family of golfers, I shot baskets in my driveway and played baseball throwing the ball against the wall. I always imagined myself being Omar Vizquel or Michael Jordan. That shot in the last seconds to break a tie… And then golf became my thing, in high school and in college. Playing the PGA Tour was just a dream, it wasn’t a realistic goal. I was a mediocre college player. But I went out to train every day and my last six-foot putt was always dreaming that it would serve to win a tournament. I dreamed that I would be married to the love of my life and she and my children would run out to the green… And today I saw them after making the first putt on the 18th, so it was incredible”, Malnati recounted.
The winning moment for @PeterMalnati and his family ❤️ pic.twitter.com/V4O935j1AL
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 24, 2024
An invitation to the Masters
Winning the Valspar will allow good old Peter Malnati to play the Masters in a couple of weeks. An opportunity that served him to remember his curious relationship with Augusta: “When I was a kid they would tell me: ‘My uncle has tickets for the Masters, do you want to come?’, ‘my friend has tickets, do you want to join?’, but I always said no, I didn’t think it was fun to watch others play golf so I didn’t go”.
“When I became a member of the PGA Tour every now and then someone would say to me: ‘Hey, do you feel like coming to play at Augusta?’, but I would say no. I want to play in Augusta when I’m in the Masters. So to have an invitation… Well, they can decide not to invite me, I suppose, although historically I think they are quite consistent in that and I think I will receive the invitation. And that I will probably accept it and go to play the Masters (he said laughing). It will be another childhood dream. I still haven’t fully absorbed it, because… when is it? When I relax it will be incredible to hit that tee shot on the 12th of Augusta… Although of all this, what matters most to me is that I will be at least 12 years on the PGA Tour“, he said after securing two more years of card with his victory in the Valspar in what is his 10th season on the circuit.
