When Peter Malnati won the 2024 Valspar Championship his golf life changed.
From my point of view behind the ropes, I hope his dad life won’t.
You see, after watching Thursday’s First Round, I waited behind the tournament’s “Autograph Alley” as each golfer with an afternoon tee time wrapped up their day and waited for their golf cart shuttles back to the locker rooms.
My son and a friend had tagged along with me after leaving school and seemed determined to wait as long as was required to get a signature from the PGA Tour’s top stars in attendance.
At Valspar, there is a mix of famous to not-so-famous tour pros in attendance. The exiting golfers on Thursday made for a good sample of each – from stars like Jordan Speith and Xander Schauffele to guys that look like well-dressed college students going to church after a rough Spring Break.
Then, there was Malnati and his floppy hat. He is smaller, unassuming, walking slowly and smiling as spectators allow him to pass without much fuss.
Having seen Malnati at the Valspar Championship for several years by now, I’d recognized him and quickly congratulated him on his 5-under par 66 on Day 1 as he excitedly scanned the nearing shuttle carts.
Then, I heard in an elevated tone…
“Hey buddy! Wow, look at the sword! Are you gonna get me with it?”
If I were almost anywhere else, the dad/kid interaction that distracted me wouldn’t have been a huge deal – a cute, normal “silly” dad playing with his son nearby. But, given the “shhhh!!!”, stuffy, polo shirt and khakis environment of a PGA Tour tournament, I quickly took notice of Peter Malnati interacting with his kids as they arrived to greet him post-round directly behind me.
I watched as he and his eldest son (I later learned is named Hatcher) ran, fake-jousted, and dodged on-coming golf cart shuttles picking up other players. Not only was the Malnati family the only one that I saw meet their Tour pro post-round, the four of them were (by far) the most “normal” acting.
As I admired Peter Malnati’s ability to trade the uber-serious golf pro for “silly dad”, the family of four piled onto the golf cart shuttle – caddie in front, Mom and Dad (both holding kids tightly) on the back.
“Let’s go.” Malnati said, signaling the driver onward.
Hatcher, at this dad’s urging (I think), lifted his sword in the air as the golf cart jetted them off. I smiled broadly, offering an unreturned wave as a sign of dad-respect.
Well done, I thought, Malnati – but I can’t imagine you’ll be around for the weekend.
Boy, was I wrong.
It turns out that “Hatcher&DashDad” as displayed on his caddie’s bib, was in it until the end where, improbably, he won over $1.5 million. Malnati’s golf life has indeed changed. He’ll be competing at The Masters this year for the first time and will not have to worry about salvaging a PGA Tour card year-after-year.
In fact, I cannot wait to see the Malnati family at The Masters’ “Par 3 Contest” in April. I’m sure the terrible white caddie jumpsuit will go well with his son’s superhero cape. The same balloon sword might be a fabulous accessory to the outfit, too.
And while it’s cool to think about a hard-working guy’s professional life changing overnight after a big win, for me the thought of the silly dad running from a balloon sword’s impaling strike after the First Round of the Valspar Championship is even cooler for the eventual tournament victor.
Malnati’s win is now etched into the side of the Valspar Championship’s trophy.
The image of how we treated his family before anyone took notice – after a long First Round that had to be exhausting – will be as permanently engrained into my mind.
I hope his golfing fortunes improve.
Malnati’s version of family, kids, and fatherhood, though, should remain exactly as it is.
