Malnati first had to finish some business. Malnati, a 29 year-old Knoxville native, visited Monday morning the Country Club of Jackson maintenance barn. Stanley Ready, the course superintendent, had assembled his work crew. This was largely the same crew that worked almost all day last November, when it took 72 hours to complete the project. Malnati stated, “I just wanted to say thank you guys.” I will never forget the kindness you showed me last year. It was amazing that, despite all the rain, we were able play four rounds. This is a credit to you and your hard work. Many pros were shocked that the tournament was not called after only two rounds. Some were furious that the tournament wasn’t called after only two or three rounds. “Y’all may not recall this, but I wasn’t leading after the second or third rounds. I would not have won if we hadn’t played fourth. Northeast Jackson received more than 10 inches of rain in the last week and first week of November. I will never be able express my gratitude enough. The CCJ course was saturated. Sand traps became small ponds, fairways became rivers. Ready’s crew worked twice overnight to make the course playable for Sunday’s third round and Monday’s fourth rounds. Malnati won by one shot with a round of 67, beating both William McGirt and David Toms. Malnati won the PGA Tour for the first time, and it was worth $738,000. It also earned him a three-year exemption. Malnati stated to the workers that it wasn’t about making the course playable. “These greens are as good or better than any on the tour. They were perfect for the last two rounds. They were so good with all the rain, I couldn’t believe it.” Malnati’s greens-handling skills was what won it. He putted at 495 feet and 7 inches, making the seventh-best 72-hole performance since 2004 when the tour started keeping these statistics. Malnati was 104th in the 2016 FedEx Cup Points List. However, he said that despite not playing their best golf, it began to improve towards the end of the season, when I made the final three cuts. It is going to be worth the hard work. The 2016 Sanderson Farms Championship will be moved up a week on PGA Tour schedule. It will take place Oct. 24-30 at Country Club of Jackson. Officials love the new dates because they offer a better chance of warmer and dryer weather. And, most importantly, it is a week after the tournament that daylight savings time will be switched back to normal. Steve Jent, the tournament’s executive Director, stated that it is easier to start a tournament at 7 a.m. rather than 6 a.m. Jent stated that sponsorship and pro-am sales are up compared to last year. The club course is in excellent condition once more and will have thicker, higher-quality rough than last year. Jent will be spending much of the next five week trying to get players to Jackson. Already, Toms (a 13-time winner of the PGA Tour) has stated that he will be returning. Century Club Charities, tournament’s non profit host, was able donate more than $1.1million to Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital despite the weather. We now reach the second half of Malnati’s Monday business. He spent Monday afternoon with his wife, Alicia Malnati visiting Batson patients. Peter Malnati stated, “It makes everything seem more manageable.” “I haven’t had a great season, and golf can really beat you up.” It’s been a long, frustrating season, with many sleepless nights. But then, you visit the children and see their struggles, and you realize, “Hey, it’s pretty good.” Rick Cleveland is Mississippi Today’s sports columnist. Check out his columns before. Check out his Sports Daily blog. To support this work, you can make a regular donation to the Spring Member Drive today. This will allow us to continue important work such as this story. Our reporters give a human face to policy’s impact on everyday Mississippians by listening more closely and understanding their communities. To ensure that our work is aligned with the priorities and needs of all Mississippians, we are listening to you. Click the button below to let us know what you think.