Peter Malnati: Love, victory and the mysterious yellow ball

Peter Malnati is an unusual name in the headlines of the golf world. Frankly, he is in the news more for his role as PGA Tour Player Director than for his results on the course. But he is also one of those players who fights week after week, tournament after tournament, to do the best for himself and his family.

Golf is a particularly family-oriented sport, and you can see that at every tournament, professional or otherwise. Whether you look outside the ropes or inside them, you can see that family is more than present. Sometimes in the most blatant ways (like matching t-shirts and hair dyes), and sometimes in the most insignificant details.

There are probably a handful of players who like golf balls in colors other than white. Peter Malnati is not necessarily one of them, yet he plays with a yellow ball. The explanation is simple: for him, love is yellow and travels in his bag in the form of a golf ball.

Peter Malnati explained it himself before his fourth-round 4-under 67 that won him the Valspar Championship title (via Golfweek):

“Well, I started using it [the yellow ball] in Minnesota at the 3M [Open] last summer. And the reason I switched to it is because my, at the time, 3-year-old, who is now 4, liked them. And so, he’s kind of over it now, but it still makes me think of him, and that’s worth a smile or two, which is worth a lot out there for me.”

Who can argue with the memory of your child bringing a smile to your face? If that’s worth a yellow ball, then bring it on, bright as the sun, and welcome it.

It wasn’t the only time Peter Malnati talked about what his family means to him over the weekend. Malnati’s wife and children (and probably a few other family members) came all the way from Tennessee to the Copperhead course at Inninsbrook Resort to be with him for his victory. After winning the title, he had this to say to the PGA Tour News Service

“Obviously, my family believes in me… I’m just so thankful for my wife. She makes this all possible because life is hard. It’s obviously glamorous at times like this and since this is my dream job and it’s absolutely amazing.”

“But life is really hard too when you’re trying to live this lifestyle and have two kids and be everything you want to be. It’s really hard. My wife has been an absolute rock through all of it…”

In golf, as in life, it all comes down to family. We see it everywhere, from the rounds we played with our parents, to the plastic clubs we put in our children’s hands, and to the yellow balls we carry in our bags.

Win or lose, family always matters most.
@PeterMalnati reflects on the importance of perseverance as he aims to be a role model for his children day in and day out.

Through hard work, dedication and love, he secured his first win in 9 years with his family by his side ❤️ pic.twitter.com/XzBYlroeuB

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 25, 2024

Peter Malnati’s victory at the Valspar Championship

Peter Malnati won the 2024 Valspar Championship at 12-under. It was his first PGA Tour victory since winning the 2015 Sanderson Farms Championship, and it secures both his PGA Tour membership through the end of the 2025 season and his first career invitation to the Masters Tournament.

Malnati’s tournament included 20 birdies and eight bogeys for one of the most efficient performances of the event. The champion also led the field in total strokes gained (13,532) and putts per green in regulation (1.60). He was also among the leaders in strokes gained by putting (8,307) and strokes gained off the tee (3,450).