Well, I reckon if you’re lookin’ for somethin’ about Peter Malnati, the man sure knows how to swing a golf club! Born on June 13, 1987, in a small town called New Castle, Indiana, he grew up in Dandridge, Tennessee. Now, don’t be thinkin’ he’s some fancy city boy with a lotta money, no sir! He started out just like anyone else, workin’ his way up from the bottom. He went to Jefferson County High School, and from there, it was a long road to the PGA Tour.
Now, Peter Malnati’s not your everyday golfer. He’s one of them underdogs, the kind you might not expect much from but who sure knows how to get the job done. He won his first big ol’ PGA Tour win back in 2015 at the Sanderson Farms Championship, and then in 2024, he took home the Valspar Championship. Ain’t that somethin’! He worked his way up through the Korn Ferry Tour first, which is where a lotta folks start out before they make it to the big leagues. A lotta folks, they ain’t so lucky. But Peter, he stuck with it and found his way.
One thing about Peter, though, is he’s always been a man of simple tastes. He don’t go all fancy with his gear like some of them other pros. He’s got a soft spot for that yellow golf ball, and let me tell ya, it’s got a bit of a story behind it. His little boy Hatcher, when he was just three, loved them yellow balls, so Peter decided to give ‘em a shot. Now, it’s his thing! You won’t catch him hittin’ no plain ol’ white ball, no sir!
Peter’s been around the block a few times, playin’ on mini-tours and workin’ his way through the ranks. He didn’t get handed nothin’. He earned it, just like anybody who works hard enough. He got a special temporary membership to the * Tour in 2013, which was a big ol’ step up from where he was before. He didn’t make it big overnight, but after a lot of grindin’, he found his spot. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, though. He had some tough times too, like missin’ the cut in six outta seven tournaments at Innisbrook’s Copperhead Course, but he didn’t let that get him down.
Now, the family part, that’s somethin’ folks don’t always think about when they look at a golfer. Peter, he’s got a wife named Alicia, and they got two little boys, Hatcher and Dash. He’s a family man, through and through. They all travel with him, and you can tell from the way he talks about them that they’re a big part of his life.
Peter Malnati’s story is one of perseverance, and you can tell he’s one of them guys who doesn’t take nothin’ for granted. He loves what he does, and he’s grateful for the life he’s built, even if it didn’t come easy. Ain’t that somethin’ to admire?
Tags:[Peter Malnati, PGA Tour, Sanderson Farms Championship, Valspar Championship, Korn Ferry Tour, golf, yellow golf ball, family, perseverance]