Chris Malloy
Now in his 12th season as head coach of the Ole Miss men’s golf team, Chris Malloy has turned the Rebels into a consistent Southeastern Conference contender and delivered the program’s first SEC title in 41 years.
Billy Brewer was the Rebel football coach, Ronald Reagan was president and Prince had just released Purple Rain the last time the Rebels won the SEC tournament on the golf course.
A former standout player for the Rebels from 1999-2000, Malloy returned to his alma mater in 2014 tasked with rebuilding the program. Before his arrival, Ole Miss showed occasional flashes of success but lacked the year-in, year-out consistency needed to compete regularly with the top of the SEC.
Under Malloy, the Rebels have become a fixture in the NCAA postseason, qualifying for regionals in nine consecutive seasons. He has developed two individual national champions — Braden Thornberry in 2017 and Michael La Sasso in 2025 — making Malloy one of only three active coaches with multiple NCAA individual title winners.
The 2025-26 campaign tested the program’s resilience. The Rebels lost last years individual National Champion to the soon to be defunct LIV golf league yet still held a top 12 national ranking all season. After blowing a big lead at the Mossy Oak Collegiate in mid-April, they rallied late to share the title in that event. Malloy later described the comeback as a pivotal moment that boosted confidence heading into the SEC Championship at Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, Ga.
That momentum carried the No. 12 Rebels through match play. Ole Miss defeated No. 27 Texas A&M, knocked off No. 1 Auburn and topped No. 3 Florida 4-1 in the final on April 26 to claim the SEC crown — the program’s second title ever.
“It’s just a dream come true,” Malloy said after the victory.
This year may be Coach Malloy’s best coaching job yet. Malloy played collegiately at Ole Miss before serving as an assistant at Florida State, where he worked closely with a young Brooks Koepka. Koepka, described early in his career as a hothead, benefited from Malloy’s guidance, including the implementation of a “5-second rule” to help him maintain composure. Koepka has since won five major championships and counting.
Malloy spent four seasons as head coach at South Florida, earning Big East Coach of the Year honors in 2013 while leading the Bulls to a conference title and a top-33 national ranking.
Back in Oxford, Malloy seems to me to be more hands on than most coaches. He is frequently on the course alongside his players, offering real-time advice on shots and strategy when a player asks. Those close to the program note his deep investment in his athletes’ development, both on and off the course. A self-described die-hard Rebel, Malloy has said he loves Ole Miss “with all his heart.”
The 2025 season also brought Malloy Golfweek National Coach of the Year recognition after the Rebels posted a program-best third-place finish at the NCAA Championships and La Sasso captured the individual title.
NCAA regionals are announced on May 6th and slated to begin May 18. For a program that has steadily climbed under Malloy’s leadership, the SEC title represents both validation of the foundation built over more than a decade and a launching point for national championship aspirations.
In my humble opinion it’s only a matter of time before Malloy delivers an NCAA team title in Oxford — and it might just be this year.
