“I think people are so sick of that” - Peter Malnati criticizes focus on LIV’s contracts and PGA Tour’s purses
Peter Malnati believes that golf fans would like the focus to not be so much on money. Right now, finances are the biggest thing going in the sport of golf. Whether it's the inflated prize purses of PGA Tour events or the incredible contracts handed out by LIV Golf, money is the primary focus of the sport it seems. Combine them with the pending PIF merger and the SSG investment of $3 billion, and it's even more clear.
Malnati, who just won over $1 million for his performance in the Valspar Championship, believes that fans of the sport are tired of this current narrative. Money shapes everything, and Malnati said via NUCLR GOLF on X that it has become bothersome to many:
“I think people are just sick of the narrative in golf being about contracts on LIV, purses on the Tour, guaranteed comp on the Tour. I think people are so sick of that.”
He continued, citing Michael Jordan. He said that when young basketball fans watched him play, they weren't interested in making his money or having his contract. They wanted to be in the moments he was in, making big game-winning shots.
Malnati believes that golf fans are the same, and that they are more interested in sinking a winning putt like Scottie Scheffler or Tiger Woods rather than how much money they could theoretically earn in that situation.
To his credit, the money in the sport seems to continuously grow. The prize purses on tour have reached incredible totals, as the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship had prize purses surging past $20 million total.
On the other side, Jon Rahm just signed with LIV Golf for over $500 million. Tyrrell Hatton, a lesser known and not as lucrative player, still earned $60 million just to sign a contract.
Peter Malnati broke eight-year drought
Before his recent victory in the Valspar Championship, Peter Malnati hadn't won on the PGA Tour for eight years. The longtime golfer had been searching unsuccessfully for his second career victory until he finally earned it on the 18th hole.
Via Golf.com, Malnati said:
“To have this moment, it just feels so amazing. Obviously, my family believes in me. I’ve got the best caddie. He’s been loyal to me for a long time. Through a lot of downtimes too. I’m just so thankful for my wife. She makes this all possible because life is hard."
He continued:
"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. This just feels so good. It feels so good.”
While the paycheck was certainly nice, the win is what clearly matters a lot to Malnati. He had those winning moments he talked about fans seeing themselves in, and it resulted in a clutch two-stroke win over Cameron Young, who is still searching for his own first win.