Peter Malnati tears up after Valspar Championship win; first PGA Tour title in 9 years

Peter Malnati, PGA Tour, Valspar Championship
Peter Malnati shows emotion after his win at the 2024 Valspar Championship. | Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images

Peter Malnati won the Valspar Championship on Sunday, capturing his first PGA Tour title since 2015.

With his yellow golf ball and bucket hat, Peter Malnati began the day two strokes behind 54-hole leader Keith Mitchell at the Valspar Championship.

His day ended in tears, as Malnati won for the first time on the the PGA Tour since 2015. The win gives him much-needed security on the tour, and he will also receive an invitation to Augusta National for the first time.

Malnati, a current PGA Tour Policy Board member, carded a 4-under 68 on Sunday to finish at 12-under for the championship, two shots ahead of Cameron Young.

Currently ranked as the 184th player in the Official World Golf Rankings, Malnati has never been higher than 143rd in his career. That will change after this week’s win, however.

Peter Malnati, PGA Tour, Valspar Championship Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Peter Malnati receives the trophy from Gary Koch.

As such, during his tenure on the board, Malnati has always advocated for the journeyman. He has also freely expressed his opinions about the PGA Tour, making headlines for whether or not LIV Golfers will receive equity as opposed to his play.

His final round on Sunday did not start spectacularly. He opened with three pars, then missed a five-footer for par at the par-3 4th. At that juncture, it looked as if his chances of winning diminished, but anything can happen on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook—widely regarded as one of the more challenging and unpredictable courses on the PGA Tour.

Two holes later, at the par-4 6th, Malnati’s chances at victory improved. He drained a 15-footer for birdie, and suddenly, he was back in the mix at 8-under.

With Mitchell stumbling in front of him, the tournament was anyone’s for the taking. But Malnati gave himself the best chance to win thanks to three straight birdies on the 10th, 11th, and 12th holes.

Like that, Malnati sat at 11-under and in the solo lead after his 15-foot birdie putt found the bottom of the cup at 12.

Minutes later, Young tied Malnati at 11-under, and it looked as if these two were destined for an iconic finish in Florida.

Then, on the par-4 16th, the most challenging hole on the course, Malnati hit his second shot a little over the green. His ball nestled in a gnarly lie, and a bogey loomed.

But often, you need a lucky bounce or a good break to win golf tournaments.

Malnati, who has not received many throughout his PGA Tour career, got a significant break on the 16th green. His ball came to rest near a sprinkler head, and a rules official granted Malnati relief.

Thus, Malnati got a free drop, and with it, a much-improved lie. He calmly got up and down to remain at 11-under.

Meanwhile, Young hit a poor tee shot ahead of him on the 18th, which led to a bogey.

As such, Malnati sensed an opportunity on the 17th tee and took full advantage of it. He stuck his tee shot to six feet, made the putt, and held a two-shot lead walking to the 18th hole.

He made a stress-free par on the last, leading to many happy tears.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.



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