"It's not because I'm on the board" - PGA Tour Pro Peter Malnati defends Pebble Beach sponsor exemption amid criticism

Peter Malnati received a sponsor exemption to play in the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, coinciding in time with the vote on the agreement between the PGA Tour and the Strategic Sports Group (SSG). Some fans have linked one issue to the other, but Malnati assures there is no connection.

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am elevated its status to Signature Event for the 2024 edition, which significantly increased the purse. But, at the same time, it reduced its field to just 80 players, with no cuts, which limited player access and put the spotlight on the sponsor exemptions granted.

Peter Malnati (Image via Getty)

Peter Malnati not only received an exemption but reportedly asked the organizers for one. However, the player assured Golfweek that his presence at Pebble Beach has nothing to do with his role as Player Director and even less to do with the recent vote for the agreement between the PGA Tour and the SSG.

Peter Malnati was quoted as saying according to Golfweek:

"I know why I felt worthy of writing a letter to get an exemption here. It’s not because I’m on the board. It’s not because I vote. I felt worthy writing a letter because I come to this event every single year that I’ve been on Tour, and I don’t think there’s ever been an amateur play with me who didn’t have the time of their life."

"That’s why I felt comfortable asking for one. That’s why I feel comfortable having gotten one. If I got one because I’m a board member and that’s the only reason, I’ll fully admit that’s not right, but I don’t think that’s why I got one, and that’s certainly not why I asked for one."

Golfweek had previously reported that several players had issued anonymous complaints about Malnati's presence as a sponsor exemption in the second Signature Event of the season. Malnati is currently ranked 249th in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).

On Wednesday, January 31, the PGA Tour and SSG announced that they had reached an agreement involving a $3 billion investment in the Tour. The report added that the Players Directors (including Peter Malnati) voted unanimously in favor of the deal.

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Peter Malnati at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Peter Malnati's professional career began in 2009, but he did not earn his PGA Tour card until 2014. Since that season, Malnati has only missed the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am once (2015).

Malnati has played the Pebble Beach event nine times, with five cuts passed. His best finish came in the 2023 edition, when he finished T4, with a score of 14-under 273.

During the first round of the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Malnati scored a 69. This placed him T14 to start the second round.