WATCH: Peter Malnati caps adventurous three weeks with ace in Houston

Peter Malnati made an ace and didn’t even know it.

NBC Sports

It’s been an eventful three-week stretch for Peter Malnati, to say the least.

Things kicked off for the longtime journeyman pro — and PGA Tour Policy Board member — at the Players Championship where he faced numerous questions on the future of the Tour and its negotiations with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.

After making the cut at TPC Sawgrass — and shooting 81 on Sunday — Malnati reportedly headed to the Bahamas, along with the other player directors on the Policy Board, for a meeting with PIF head Yasir Al-Rumayaan.

From there, Malnati got right back to the grind of pro golf. He excelled, winning his first tournament in more than 8 years at the Valspar Championship. Winning on the PGA Tour can be a drag in the aftermath with all the media obligations and such, especially after such an emotional and popular win like Malnati’s.

He said he just wanted to make the cut this week.

Well he made the cut and was an unmemorable T34 heading into Sunday, but he’ll still end up remembering this week.

Malnati came to the seventh hole, his 16th of the day, and gave his 5-iron a rip from 223 yards on Memorial Park’s longest one-shotter.

It was perfect from the start, with his now-signature yellow ball landing in the center of the green, releasing all the way to the back pin and dropping in the cup for an ace.

The hole-in-one was the third of his PGA Tour career for the 36-year-old, but Malnati didn’t even appear to know his ball had fallen from the tee.

The camera panned back toward him staring back at the green, possibly wondering what prompted the roar on a hole the leaders had already played through.

Someone can be heard on the broadcast asking, “That’s not a hole-in-one though, right?”

Malnati just handed his club to his caddie and smiled. He’ll enjoy a nice week off before playing the Masters for the first time in his career.

HeadshotRAW copy e1660343630658

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.

 

 

We will be happy to hear your thoughts

Leave a reply

Golf Products Review
Logo
Shopping cart