6 Years After His Retirement, PGA Tour Pro Opens Up About His Innovative Venture, Which Still Keeps Him Connected to Golf

Golf is a sport many love and follow religiously. The adoration for the sport is, in fact, so intense that many have looked for ways to give back to the sport. Several PGA Tour pros, including the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, have also founded charitable organizations to show acknowledgment for what the sport has given them.

From Woods’ TGR Foundation, which helps children in America with their health, welfare, and education, to the Phil and Amy Mickelson Foundation, which supports youth and family initiatives, it’s safe to say that the community greatly benefits because of the opportunity golf provided for these stars. And now, adding his name to the likes of these legends, a retired PGA Tour pro has also found a way to give back while also keeping in tact his connection with the sport.

Former PGA Tour Pro gives back through the sport

In 2017, a golf pro, John Mallinger, competed at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae. But surprisingly, his focus was more on his phone than his game. At one point mid-match, his phone buzzed with a message, and immediately after reading it, he left the field and withdrew from the game. Soon after, he retired from the sport altogether.

However, Mallinger is again creating buzz in the golf world for what he’s done since his retirement! As per Golf Week’s recent tweet, “he’s giving back through the game,” but how exactly? Well, despite retiring from the sport, the ex-PGA Tour pro didn’t leave it altogether. In fact, after his retirement, he launched the ‘John Mallinger Foundation’ as well as a charitable golf tournament, ‘The Give’, at Virginia Country Club. The event represents his desire to give back to the community through the sport that made him who he is.

This year, the event will be played on August 7, this week. And for the fourth time, John Mallinger will be on the field. In the past, the event has seen the likes of Max Homa, Patrick Cantlay, and Joel Dahmen participate and give back to the community. Last year, the famous Harry Higgs was part of the field too. In 2022 alone, the event helped generate over a million dollars for charity, and John Mallinger will certainly be hoping to outdo that this year.

The golfer, prior to his retirement, completed 187 PGA Tour events and earned approximately $7 million. TPC Stonebrae was his last ever event as a pro, and soon after leaving the field following his cryptic text, he announced his retirement from the sport where he had been a pro for 17 years. As you can guess, the text had everything to do with how Mallinger made it big in the world. So how exactly was that?

Mallinger’s mystery message that led to his retirement

As per Golfweek’s recent report, the message that Mallinger received in the middle of his last game as a pro was from the CEO of TravisMathew, a golf apparel company that the ex-Tour star had co-founded. The company had reached its ultimate destination, with Callaway Golf buying it out for $125.5 million. The text had read, “Come meet us in Lake Tahoe. We’re going to celebrate!” And reading it, Mallinger immediately left.

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Since then, the ex-Tour pro has spent time coaching his sons in baseball and participating in a regular game of golf at a club. He claims that he got to experience the best of both worlds: his professional career as well as his personal life. However, having made millions through the buyout and his golf winnings, Mallinger began wondering, “How can I give back?” And in an attempt to answer his question, he gave rise to his foundation and The Give.

Are you ready to witness Mallinger’s brainchild to share his success in life this week? Tell us in the comments.

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