Reviving a Legend, Chasing Greatness, and Finding Balance in Dubai
The Englishman opens up about his partnership with iconic brand Penfold, his love affair with Dubai golf, and what it takes to compete at the highest level
There’s a quiet confidence about Matt Wallace these days. The fiery competitor who burst onto the scene with three wins in 2018 is still there that intensity hasn’t dimmed one bit but there’s a maturity now, a sense of someone who’s learned to channel the fire rather than let it consume him.
Sitting down with us, Wallace is refreshingly candid about everything from his new equipment partnership to his culinary skills, and it’s clear that 2026 represents something of a reset for the Englishman. After a 2025 season where he admittedly became too outcome focused on Ryder Cup qualification, Wallace is returning to what made him successful in the first place the fundamentals.
A Heritage Partnership
One of the most intriguing developments in Wallace’s camp is his new partnership with Penfold, a brand that will celebrate its centenary next year. For younger golf fans, the name might not immediately ring bells, but Wallace is genuinely excited about being part of the brand’s revival.
“It’s one that I’m really excited about,” he explains. “It’s an iconic brand and legends like Seve, Sir Nick Faldo and Gary Player were all Penfold players back in the day. It’s been a quiet few decades really but an English guy Gavin Perrett is trying to revive it and it’s pretty cool.”
The history resonates with Wallace. Penfold isn’t just another equipment manufacturer trying to break into the market. It’s a brand with genuine heritage in British golf, and that matters to the Englishman. His caddie Jamie Lane was particularly pleased with the Sunday bag debut at the Dubai Invitational, praising its lightweight design, while Wallace himself was delighted to debut the tour bag at The American Express.
The Dubai Effect
If there’s one place on the global golf calendar where Wallace feels entirely at home, it’s Dubai. His affection for the Emirates is genuine and runs deep, both professionally and personally.
“I love it in Dubai in so many ways,” Wallace enthuses. “I don’t think there’s anywhere better in terms of golf and I love to prepare for my year there.”
The results back up his fondness. Runner up finishes at both the Desert Classic and the DP World Tour Championships are testament to how well his game suits the conditions. These are titles he’s desperate to add to his CV, and you sense that unfinished business in the Middle East drives him as much as any major championship ambition.
“Emirates and the Desert Classic have always been special and the DP World Tour Championship just continues to grow and grow as an event and spectacle for the fans,” he says. “I’ve had a couple of near misses at both so hopefully I can go one better sooner or later.”
Beyond the competitive element, Dubai offers Wallace the perfect pre season environment. The guarantee of excellent conditions and good weather means he can fine tune his game without the unpredictability that European winters bring. He’s quick to acknowledge the support network he’s built there over the years, name checking Chris May, Stephen Hubner, Mike Bolt, Mike Major, Jamie McConnell, and others who’ve helped him prepare.
The courses themselves suit Wallace’s eye perfectly. Whether at Emirates or Jumeirah, the immaculate conditioning and quality of the greens remind him more of American conditions than European ones, high praise from someone who competes regularly on the PGA Tour.
“Generally at both courses you have to drive the ball well because you can’t expect to score well if you’re not in fairways, but both test every part of your game to the max,” Wallace explains. “I would compare it very much to the US in terms of a challenge.”
Back to Basics
For Wallace, 2026 represents a philosophical shift. After spending much of last season laser focused on Ryder Cup qualification, he admits he became too outcome based in his thinking. The consistency was there, he had a solid spell, but it wasn’t producing the results he wanted.
“I’m enjoying getting back to basics a little bit and I want to get some momentum going this year and see where it will take me,” he says.
It’s a more process oriented approach, one that focuses on daily improvement rather than distant goals. That’s not to say the ambitions have diminished, far from it, but Wallace has learned that taking care of the day to day business is what ultimately leads to success.
“That’s one of the big challenges we all face,” he reflects. “We all have ambitions and goals, to a lesser or greater extent, and while it’s easy to keep your feet on the ground when it’s going well, if you miss a green you have to deal with it and try to get it up and down. In an ideal world, it’s just about taking care of business day to day, week to week, and seeing where that takes you.”
The Man Behind the Fire
Wallace’s on course intensity is well documented. The passion, the fist pumps, the occasional flash of frustration, it’s all part of what makes him compelling to watch. But Wallace has an interesting perspective on his reputation.
“You don’t get many golfers that don’t play with intensity!” he points out with a laugh. “It’s something I’m associated with and I’m not going to say you’re wrong but maybe others are just better at hiding how they’re feeling.”
It’s a fair point. Golf at the highest level demands intensity. Wallace just happens to wear his heart on his sleeve. Away from the course, though, there’s more to him than the competitor we see inside the ropes. For instance, not many people know that he’s a serious cook.
“It’s no big secret but I am a very good cook!” he reveals, a skill that presumably comes in handy given the travel heavy lifestyle of a professional golfer.
Dubai, of course, offers no shortage of culinary options when he doesn’t feel like cooking. “Our lives are travel, hotels and restaurants and Dubai has everything you could want and more, at a great standard,” Wallace says. “There’s nowhere better for it.”
Data Driven Approach
Like most modern professionals, Wallace leans heavily on data to optimise his performance. He’s established benchmarks across his game, numbers that tell him when he’s in form and ready to compete.
“I use data a lot and have benchmarks in my game,” he explains. “I know if I am hitting those numbers I can go out and perform.”
It’s a methodical approach that might surprise those who only see the emotional player on television. The intensity and the analytics aren’t contradictory. They’re complementary aspects of what makes Wallace the competitor he is.
Legacy & Looking Forward
When the conversation turns to legacy, Wallace’s competitive fire burns as bright as ever. He wants to maximise every ounce of his potential and be remembered as someone who gave everything inside the ropes.
“As a golfer I want make the most of what I have and be as good as I can be,” he says. “I want to be remembered as a true competitor inside the ropes, one who gave everything and that sometimes spilled over the edge but as the years went by managed to control his emotions and went on to become a major champion!”
That major championship dream remains very much alive, and there’s a touching honesty when he reflects on the person he wants to be beyond golf. “I’d like to think I’m a kind person although I could maybe be kinder to myself.”
It’s perhaps the most revealing comment of our conversation, a glimpse of the self awareness that comes with maturity. Wallace knows he demands a lot of himself, perhaps too much at times. Learning to channel that intensity, to be as kind to himself as he is to others, might be the final piece of the puzzle.
As he embarks on another season, with Penfold’s historic bag and Dubai as his preparation base, Matt Wallace is a player to watch. The fire still burns, but now it’s tempered with wisdom. The goals remain lofty, but the focus is on the process.
One thing’s certain. Whatever happens, Matt Wallace will give it everything. That’s simply who he is.
