Peter Malnati thinks fans are "sick" of hearing about LIV Golf & PGA Tour money
Peter Malnati: "I think people are just sick of the narrative in golf being about contracts on LIV and purses on PGA Tour..."
Peter Malnati believes golf fans are "sick" of hearing about huge LIV Golf contracts and big-money prize purses on the PGA Tour in 2024.
Malnati, 36, made his feelings be known just three days after his emotional Valspar Championship victory, which marked his second career title on the PGA Tour and his first in more than eight years.
The American was reduced to tears when interviewed on the 18th green on Sunday, where he was greeted by his family.
One of his children ran on to the green to give Dad a victory hug in a superhero cape.
The winning moment for @PeterMalnati and his family pic.twitter.com/V4O935j1AL
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 24, 2024
Speaking ahead of this week's Texas Children's Houston Open, Malnati was pressed by one reporter to discuss why he thinks his own story from last week resonated beyond the casual golf fan.
Last week's Valspar Championship was not a Signature Event on the PGA Tour, and as a result of that, it saw just a handful of players in the world's top 30 in action including Xander Schauffele and Cameron Young, the latter who once again came up shy in his bid to land a maiden PGA Tour title.
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Malnati, who acts as one of six player directors on the PGA Tour alongside Tiger Woods, thinks golf fans are being turned off by all the big money contracts and prize purses in the pro game in 2024.
LIV Golf League events feature prize purses of $20m with winners collecting $4m each week, and the same applies on the PGA Tour when it comes to the Signature Events.
Jon Rahm reportedly accepted a fee of $600m to join LIV Golf at the end of 2023.
Malnati admitted he never cared what golfers were earning when he was growing up as a kid, and that script for many golf fans has likely not changed today.
He also admitted his own tears had nothing to do with the $1.5m he collected for winning the Valspar Championship.
Malnati said at length:
Malnati is playing his part to try and unify the pro game as he is one of six player directors on the PGA Tour.
Prior to his victory at the Valspar Championship last week, he jetted over to the Bahamas on the Monday to speak with Saudi PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan.
Talks are ongoing between the PIF and PGA Tour as they attempt to get a deal over the line to work together in the future.
Do you agree with Malnati's comments? Has the money got out of hand on the PGA Tour, and is the divide in the pro game turning people away? Share your thoughts and comments over on the GolfMagic social media channels.
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