Timothy O'Neal (golfer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Timothy O'Neal
Personal information
Full name	Timothy Andrea O'Neal
Born	(1972-08-03) August 3, 1972 (age 52) Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	172 lb (78 kg; 12.3 st)
Nationality	United States
Residence	Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
Children	2
Career
College	Jackson State University
Turned professional	1997
Current tour(s)	PGA Tour Champions
Former tour(s)	Asian Tour Web.com Tour PGA Tour Latinoamérica Alps Tour EPD Tour Golden Bear Tour
Professional wins	9
Number of wins by tour
Champions Tour	1
Other	8
Best results in Major Championships
The Masters Tournament	DNP
U.S. Open	CUT: 2015
The Open Championship	DNP
PGA Championship	DNP

Timothy Andrea O'Neal (born August 3, 1972) is an American professional golfer. He plays on the PGA Tour Champions, a special tour for golfers aged 50 and older. He has also played on other tours like PGA Tour Latinoamérica and the Web.com Tour.

Timothy O'Neal has won nine professional golf tournaments. These wins happened in different parts of the world, including North America, Europe, Africa, and South America. He is also known for almost making it to the main PGA Tour. He missed getting his PGA Tour card by just one shot two times! A PGA Tour card lets a golfer play in the biggest golf tournaments.

Timothy O'Neal's Early Golf Days

Before becoming a professional golfer, Timothy O'Neal was a very good amateur player. He won 16 college tournaments while he was at Jackson State University. In 1997, he also won the Georgia Amateur Championship. This was a big win for him in his home state.

Timothy O'Neal's Professional Journey

When Timothy O'Neal first started as a professional golfer, the famous actor Will Smith actually helped sponsor him for a short time. O'Neal mostly played on smaller golf tours in the U.S. These are called mini-tours.

Starting on the Buy.com Tour

In 2001, O'Neal earned his spot on the Buy.com Tour. This tour is now called the Korn Ferry Tour. He had almost made it to the PGA Tour that year. He missed getting his PGA Tour card by just one stroke at the qualifying school. This happened because he took two extra shots on the very last hole.

His first year on the Buy.com Tour was a bit tough. He finished in the top 10 only twice. The next year, he played in only three events and lost his spot on the tour.

Trying for the PGA Tour Again

In 2004, O'Neal tried again to get his PGA Tour card at the qualifying school. Once more, he missed it by only one shot. But by doing well enough, he earned his right to play on the Nationwide Tour (which was the new name for the Buy.com Tour) for the 2005 season.

His return to the Nationwide Tour was better. In 2005, he had his best finish yet, coming in second place at the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic. He kept playing well in 2005 and 2006. However, his performance dropped in 2007 and 2008, and he lost his tour card again.

Playing Around the World

After losing his spot on the Nationwide Tour, O'Neal's career faced some challenges. He played on different tours, including the Asian Tour and the EPD Tour in Europe. In 2011, he was asked to coach the golf team at Jackson State, his old university, but he decided not to.

In 2013, O'Neal started playing on PGA Tour Latinoamérica. He found success right away! He won two tournaments in his first season: the Arturo Calle Colombian Open and the Abierto de Chile. These wins helped him finish third on the PGA Tour Latinoamérica money list. This was enough for him to get his tour card back for the 2014 Web.com Tour.

Reaching the U.S. Open

When he was 42 years old, Timothy O'Neal finally played in his first PGA Tour event. He qualified for the 2015 U.S. Open, which is one of golf's biggest tournaments. He didn't make it to the final rounds, but it was a big achievement to play there.

O'Neal also played on the Advocates Pro Golf Tour. This tour helps create more chances for minority golfers to play professionally. In 2022, O'Neal was one of five golfers who earned a spot on the PGA Tour Champions through their qualifying school.

First PGA Tour Champions Win

In October 2024, Timothy O'Neal achieved a major milestone. He won the Dominion Energy Charity Classic. This was his very first victory on the PGA Tour Champions! Winning this tournament earned him $350,000 and secured his spot to play in the 2025 PGA Tour Champions season.

Timothy O'Neal's Wins

Timothy O'Neal has won several tournaments throughout his career.

Amateur Wins

• 1997 Georgia Amateur Championship

Professional Wins (9)

PGA Tour Latinoamérica Wins (3)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	May 5, 2013	Arturo Calle Colombian Open	−16 (68-66-68-66=268)	2 strokes	Óscar Serna
2	Nov 24, 2013	Chile Open	−13 (66-72-70-67=275)	Playoff	Ryan Blaum, Sebastián Saavedra
3	May 14, 2016	Casa de Campo Dominican Republic Open	−10 (72-67-68-71=278)	4 strokes	Paul Apyan, Rafael Echenique, Sebastian MacLean

Alps Tour Wins (1)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	Feb 10, 2012	Open Palmeraie PGP	−16 (66-67-67=200)	3 strokes	Matteo Delpodio

EPD Tour Wins (2)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	Feb 22, 2012	Open Mogador	+3 (70-76-73=219)	2 strokes	Jérôme Lando-Casanova
2	Apr 11, 2012	Open Madaef	−4 (71-72-69=212)	1 stroke	Janne Martikainen

Golden Bear Tour Wins (1)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	Sep 25, 2003	John O' Challenge	−12 (64-68=132)*	Shared title with Ryan LaVoie

*Note: The 2003 John O' Challenge was shortened to 36 holes due to weather.

Other Wins (1)

• 2018 Georgia Open

PGA Tour Champions Wins (1)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	Oct 20, 2024	Dominion Energy Charity Classic	−13 (71-67-65=203)	2 strokes	Ricardo González