WiretoWire: Malnati ends drought at Valspar

Peter Malnati waited nearly nine years for this moment and cherished every second of it. Malnati earned his second PGA TOUR title Sunday at the Valspar Championship, closing in 4-under 67 for a 12-under total at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course. He finished two strokes clear of Cameron Young, who notched his seventh TOUR runner-up finish without a victory. Young’s day will come, but Sunday belonged to Malnati, 36, who plays with a fearless buoyancy but had admittedly struggled with doubts regarding his chances of winning again. Malnati’s first TOUR win came at the 2015 Sanderson Farms Championship; he and wife Alicia didn’t have kids back then. Now they’re a family of four, with sons Hatcher and Dash sharing the moment greenside once their dad’s victory became official. With the victory, he earns a spot in his first Masters and this year’s remaining Signature Events. He’s now fully exempt on TOUR through 2026 and moves to No. 16 on the season-long FedExCup standings. And he’s forever a conqueror of the Copperhead’s famed “Snake Pit.”

Everything's bigger in Texas

Following the completion of the Florida Swing, the PGA TOUR heads to the Lone Star State for a Texas two-step of tournaments before the first major championship of the year, beginning with the Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course. A typical fall staple on TOUR, this year’s iteration of the event moves to springtime with a star-studded field that includes world No. 1 and Texas native Scottie Scheffler, returning from both back-to-back wins on TOUR and back-to-back PLAYERS Championship victories. Wyndham Clark, coming the strength of two consecutive second-place finishes, also heads to Houston, along with defending champion Tony Finau. The winner of the Texas Children's receives 500 FedExCup points.

Video of the week

Mic check

“It’s hard, and in the nine years since my last win, it’s gotten a lot harder too.” - Peter Malnati after his first win in 3,058 days at the Valspar Championship.

By the numbers

4 – Clay Feagler won the Bupa Championship, PGA TOUR Americas’ inaugural opener, after the fourth hole in a playoff on Sunday.

7 – Padraig Harrington earned his seventh victory on PGA TOUR Champions with his win at the Hoag Classic Newport Beach.

Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10

The Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 highlights and rewards the extraordinary level of play required to earn a spot in the TOP 10 at the conclusion of the FedExCup Regular Season as determined by the FedExCup standings. The competition recognizes and awards the most elite in golf.