Tim O’Neal Bio
Timothy Andrea O’Neal (born August 3, 1972) is an American professional golfer who currently plays on PGA Tour Champions. His career also includes stops on PGA Tour Latinoamérica and the Web.com Tour, and he has won seven professional events across four continents: North America, Europe, Africa, and South America. O’Neal is also remembered for his narrow losses at PGA Tour Qualifying School, where he missed earning a PGA Tour card by a single stroke on two occasions.
Early Life and Background
Timothy Andrea O’Neal was born on August 3, 1972, in Savannah, Georgia, where he continues to make his home. He grew up in the same coastal Georgia city that has shaped much of his personal and professional life, and he later attended Jackson State University. Standing 6 feet tall and competing at 78 kilograms, O’Neal developed his game in a region with a strong tradition of producing competitive golfers.
Prior to turning professional, O’Neal had a distinguished amateur career, winning 16 college tournaments during his time at Jackson State University. He capped that amateur run by winning the Georgia Amateur Championship in 1997, a victory that signaled his readiness for the professional ranks. Those results helped establish him as one of the more promising amateur players in the state before he made the leap to paid golf.
Path to Professional Golf
O’Neal began his professional career in 1997, initially playing on U.S. mini-tours as he worked to find his footing. For a very brief period early on, actor Will Smith sponsored O’Neal, providing an early boost as he tried to break through. He continued to grind on smaller circuits until he earned his Buy.com Tour card for the 2001 season, now known as the Korn Ferry Tour.
The breakthrough came after O’Neal narrowly missed out on a PGA Tour card at qualifying school, losing his card by a single stroke following a double bogey on the final hole. In 2004, he again missed out on a PGA Tour card at qualifying school by a single stroke, but in doing so regained his playing rights for the Nationwide Tour for the 2005 season. Those close calls became a recurring theme of his career, and they also fueled his determination to keep competing at higher levels.
Tim O’Neal Career
Early Career (1997-2000)
O’Neal’s earliest professional years were spent on U.S. mini-tours, where he gained valuable tournament experience and sharpened his competitive routine. The limited resources of the mini-tours required him to travel extensively and manage his own schedule, a stretch that helped build the resilience that would later define his career. By the end of this period, he had positioned himself to take the next step toward the larger developmental tours.
He also picked up an early endorsement that brought brief notoriety: actor Will Smith sponsored O’Neal for a short time at the start of his professional career. While the partnership did not last, it reflected the promise scouts and supporters saw in the young Georgian. Those mini-tour years laid the groundwork for his eventual move to the Buy.com Tour.
Buy.com and Nationwide Tour Era (2001-2008)
O’Neal received his Buy.com Tour card for the 2001 season after narrowly missing a PGA Tour card at qualifying school. He had a tough first season, recording only two top-10 finishes and ending 59th on the money list. The following season he played just three events on the Buy.com Tour and lost his card for 2003.
The return to the Nationwide Tour in 2005 proved more successful. During the 2005 season O’Neal recorded his best finish to date, a second place at the 2005 Northeast Pennsylvania Classic. He maintained his good form throughout 2005 and 2006, finishing 44th and 36th on the tour money lists respectively. His form dropped in 2007 and 2008, however, and he was unable to retain his card following the 2008 season.
PGA Tour Latinoamérica Era (2013-2014)
After his Nationwide Tour privileges ended, O’Neal’s career began to falter, and he also played on the Asian Tour, eGolf Professional Tour, the EPD Tour, and the Morocco-based Atlas Pro Tour. In 2011, he was asked to take over the Jackson State golf program, but he declined, preferring to continue his playing career. The reset came in 2013, when O’Neal took up playing rights on PGA Tour Latinoamérica and had instant success.
In his first season on PGA Tour Latinoamérica, O’Neal won the Arturo Calle Colombian Open and the Abierto de Chile. These wins together helped him to a third-place finish on the PGA Tour Latinoamérica Order of Merit, which was sufficient for him to regain his tour card for the 2014 Web.com Tour. The two victories on South American soil were a turning point, re-establishing him as a winner at a high competitive level.
PGA Tour Champions Era (2022-Present)
At age 42, O’Neal finally played his first PGA Tour event after qualifying for the 2015 U.S. Open, where he missed the cut. He also played on the Advocates Pro Golf Tour, a professional golf tour that aims to open more playing opportunities for minorities. In 2022, O’Neal was one of five golfers to earn a PGA Tour Champions card through Q School, marking his arrival on the senior circuit.
O’Neal won the Dominion Energy Charity Classic in October 2024, his first PGA Tour Champions victory. His victory earned him $350,000 and secured his card for the 2025 PGA Tour Champions season. The breakthrough came after years of perseverance across multiple tours and continents.
Notable Events and Milestones
O’Neal is well known for his heartbreaking failures at PGA Tour Q School, where he missed earning a PGA Tour card by a single stroke on two occasions, in 2001 and 2004. His first PGA Tour Champions victory at the 2024 Dominion Energy Charity Classic stands as a career-defining moment, secured at age 52 and worth $350,000. Earlier, his 2013 back-to-back wins in Colombia and Chile marked his emergence as a winner on an international stage.
Tim O’Neal Career Wins
Across his professional career, O’Neal has won seven events on four continents: North America, Europe, Africa, and South America. His victories span developmental circuits, regional tours, and the senior game, reflecting a long and persistent path through professional golf.
PGA Tour Champions Highlights
O’Neal’s first PGA Tour Champions victory came at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic in October 2024. The win was a milestone moment in his senior career and locked in his playing privileges for the 2025 PGA Tour Champions season. It represented the payoff for years of grinding on smaller tours around the world.
PGA Tour Latinoamérica Highlights
During his first season on PGA Tour Latinoamérica in 2013, O’Neal won the Arturo Calle Colombian Open and the Abierto de Chile. Those two titles powered a third-place finish on the Order of Merit and returned him to the Web.com Tour for 2014. The wins in South America remain among the most significant achievements of his career.
Tim O’Neal Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Details about O’Neal’s parents and broader family background are not publicly confirmed in available sources. He attended Jackson State University, an HBCU with a strong athletic tradition, which played a central role in his development as a golfer. In 2011, he was asked to take over the Jackson State golf program, a connection that underscores his ongoing ties to the school.
2025 Season Performance
O’Neal enters the 2025 PGA Tour Champions season with his card secured following his 2024 Dominion Energy Charity Classic victory. That win earned him $350,000 and confirmed his status as a full-time player on the senior circuit. The victory also gave him momentum heading into a new year of competition against many of the game’s most established veterans.
Having earned his PGA Tour Champions card through Q School in 2022, O’Neal has steadily built his comfort level on the senior tour. His career path, which has included stops on developmental, regional, and international circuits, has prepared him well for the demands of weekly Champions events. The 2025 season offers a chance to add to a résumé that already spans four continents and seven professional wins.