It is not easy finding a place in the golf industry as an outsider; ask Tim O’Neal if you don’t believe us. His time in the industry has been full of ups and downs, and it’s safe to say that he has struggled like no other. But again, as many good things do, his hard work did pay off in the end when the GOAT, Tiger Woods himself, complimented the golfer.

Tim O’Neal’s professional career

Born on March 8, 1972, in Savannah, Georgia, the golfer was into golf from a young age. He spent hours practicing at the Bonaventure golf course. He later started playing junior golf at Bacon Park, where he polished his skills. His hard work paid off when he won 16 college tournaments and the Georgia Amateur Championship in 1997, which was also the year he turned professional.

But O’Neal’s path to success wasn’t easy, as were many other golfers. He faced some major heartbreaking setbacks in 2001 and 2004, which included missing his PGA Tour card by a single stroke—not once but twice! One would think that the golfer lost his spirit after that. But no, despite these disappointments, he refused to give up on his dream.

O’Neal revealed that he wasn’t very consistent as an amateur, but as a professional, he is trying to change that. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more patient with my game and not trying to force things so much,”  said the golfer, per the St. Joseph Calendar. He continued to work towards his goal by playing on various tours and traveling the world while being a dad to his two precious kids. Then, something amazing happened. O’Neal’s biggest wins came after he turned 40 the first was the Georgia Open in 2018 and three other tournaments on the PGA Tour Latinoamérica.

At age 42, O’Neal finally played his first PGA Tour event after qualifying for the 2015 U.S. Open but he sadly missed the cut. In 2022, O’Neal was one of five golfers to earn a PGA Tour Champions card through Q School.

What does O’Neal’s personal life look like?

Growing up in Savannah, O’Neal was introduced to golf at a young age by his parents, Eva and James. O’Neal’s parents were both skilled golfers; however, they were also realists, and his father didn’t allow him to play on the full-size golf course until he was 10 years old. But as he grew, his father also saw the spark in him. Now, O’Neal himself is a father and loves to go on daily runs with his daughter.

For pro golfer Tim O’Neal and his wife Melody, life was a never-ending road trip. They traveled from tournament to tournament often having their two young children with them. They have a daughter named Jordan and a son, Jayden. Melody has been the golfer’s constant companion throughout his decades-long golf career, and she’s learned to adapt to their unique lifestyle. “If you want to spend time with someone, you have to travel with them,” she says.

Melody believes that her husband is one of the happiest golfers she knows. And she has a good reason for believing that O’Neal is a down-to-earth person who appreciates what he has and even when he has a bad game the golfer doesn’t get too upset and remembers that things could always be worse.

Tiger Woods’s compliment on Tim O’Neal’s hard work

O’Neal caught the attention of none other than the GOAT Tiger Woods. Woods praised O’Neal’s resilience and said that he “has shown great determination in his professional career.” When he received the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption which is given annually to a golfer representing a minority background to play in the 2019 Genesis Open, Woods’s compliment was the icing on the cake.

But O’Neal’s not resting on his laurels. He’s still out there working hard. And as he approaches his 53rd birthday, he’s still got his sights set on the top. The golfer believes that golf is all about putting in the work, and he says, “You can only get out of golf what you put into it. So I’ve never given up on this dream.”

With his dedication, O’Neal’s an inspiration to anyone who’s ever chased a goal. His story is a reminder that success doesn’t happen overnight but with hard work and heart, anything is possible.