DETROIT — In what arguably is the best field in the history of the PGA Tour's Rocket Classic, go figure, it was the guy ranked 565th in the world who had fans buzzing at Detroit Golf Club early Thursday.
Peter Malnati, 39, opened with a 9-under 61 to take the early lead in the first round of the eighth and final Rocket Classic. This is PGA Tour low; he previously shot 62 twice.
Malnati put the course squarely on 59 watch with an opening-nine, 7-under 28 that featured seven birdies and no bogeys, and he made a 55-foot birdie putt on the tough par-3 11th to get it to 8 under. He was 9 under through 13.
The momentum then stalled.
Malnati missed three birdie putts on the course's AREA 313 stretch — a 10-footer at the par-5 14th, a 20-footer at the par-3
15th and a 7-footer at the par-4 16th.
Malnati was trying to become the 17th member of the PGA Tour's sub-60 club. Michael Kim shot 59 last week at the 3M Open outside of Minneapolis. Malnati settled for the course record at Detroit Golf Club, which now plays as a par 70. Jake Knapp shot an 11-under 61 in 2025, when the course was a par 72.
Malnati, 39, who stands out with his floppy bucket hat and yellow golf ball, is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, last having won in 2024. But he came into this week's tournament having made just seven of 17 cuts. His best finish this season was a tie for ninth at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in May.
As rough as the season has been, Malnati, a Tennessee native, came into this week ranked 11th in putting on the season, and showed why early Thursday. He made more than 150 feet worth of putts in the opening round.
Malnati has played in every Rocket Classic, though rarely has contended. He did finish tied for ninth in 2023, and has made the cut in five of the previous seven playings of the tournament.
With a newly renovated Detroit Golf Club, pin positions were generous for Round 1, and the greens weren't exactly lightning. There also was little wind early. The PGA Tour course setup officials figure to get bolder as the week goes on.
Thursday at the Rocket Classic saw a gallery that was noticeably larger than first rounds in recent years.
tpaul@detroitnews.com. @tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Peter Malnati opened in 28, made a run at 59 in first round of Rocket Classic
