Tim O’Neal Bio
Timothy Andrea O’Neal, known professionally as Tim O’Neal, is an American professional golfer born on August 3, 1972, in Savannah, Georgia. A longtime competitor across developmental and international tours, O’Neal plays on PGA Tour Champions, where he earned his first victory in 2024. He has captured professional titles on four continents and is recognized for his perseverance through years of competitive golf.
Standing 6 feet tall and weighing 172 pounds, O’Neal has competed on tours including the Web.com Tour, PGA Tour Latinoamérica, Asian Tour, Alps Tour, and EPD Tour. He resides in his hometown of Savannah, Georgia, with his family, and is a graduate of Jackson State University, where he developed the foundation of his competitive game.
Early Life and Background
Timothy Andrea O’Neal was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, where he continues to make his home. Growing up in the coastal city, he developed an early interest in golf and pursued the sport competitively throughout his youth. His Southern roots and grounding in Savannah have remained a constant throughout his professional life, even as he competed on circuits around the world.
O’Neal attended Jackson State University, a historically Black college in Mississippi, where he established himself as one of the top amateur players in the country. During his college career, he won 16 college tournaments, an impressive run that signaled his potential as a professional. In 1997, the same year he turned professional, he also captured the Georgia Amateur Championship, capping a distinguished amateur career before transitioning to the paid ranks.
Path to Golf
After completing his amateur career, O’Neal turned professional in 1997, a period that briefly included sponsorship from entertainer Will Smith early in his playing days. He initially built his game on the U.S. mini-tours, grinding through small-field events in search of bigger opportunities. The path was demanding, but his college success and Georgia Amateur title gave him the confidence to keep pursuing the highest levels of the sport.
O’Neal’s breakthrough to a recognized tour came when he earned his Buy.com Tour card for the 2001 season after narrowly missing a PGA Tour card at qualifying school. The missed opportunity, coming by a single stroke following a double bogey on the final hole, would become a defining storyline of his early career. He would go on to suffer the same fate in 2004, again losing a PGA Tour card by a single stroke, yet each setback sharpened his resolve and deepened his reputation for resilience.
Tim O’Neal Career
Early Career (1997-2000)
O’Neal’s earliest professional years were spent primarily on U.S. mini-tours, where he worked to sharpen his game and build a competitive track record. While victories on these developmental circuits were modest, the experience prepared him for his first major tour opportunity. His steady progress on the mini-tours eventually positioned him for a shot at the PGA Tour through qualifying school, though the breakthrough would prove elusive.
By the end of the decade, O’Neal had established himself as a dependable player on smaller circuits, ready to test himself on larger stages. The lessons learned during these formative years would later help him navigate the challenges of higher-level competition.
Web.com Tour Breakthrough (2001-2008)
O’Neal joined the Buy.com Tour, now known as the Korn Ferry Tour, in 2001 after his single-stroke loss at PGA Tour qualifying school. His first season produced two top-10 finishes and a 59th-place result on the money list, a solid start that was followed by a difficult 2002 campaign in which he played only three events and lost his card. He returned to qualifying school in 2004, and although he again missed a PGA Tour card by a single stroke, the effort earned him Nationwide Tour playing rights for 2005.
The 2005 season marked O’Neal’s best stretch on the Nationwide Tour, highlighted by a second-place finish at the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic. He followed that with consistent play in 2006, finishing 36th on the money list, and ended 44th in 2005. Despite his steady progress, his form declined in 2007 and 2008, and he was unable to retain his tour card after the 2008 season. The years on the Nationwide Tour solidified his reputation as a tough, persistent competitor.
PGA Tour Latinoamérica Era (2013-2014)
After losing his Nationwide Tour privileges, O’Neal’s career appeared to stall as he moved between smaller circuits, including the Asian Tour, the eGolf Professional Tour, the EPD Tour, and the Morocco-based Atlas Pro Tour. In 2011, he was offered the head coaching job for the Jackson State University golf program, an opportunity he chose to decline in order to continue pursuing his playing career.
In 2013, O’Neal found new life on PGA Tour Latinoamérica, winning both the Arturo Calle Colombian Open and the Abierto de Chile in his first season on the tour. The dual victories pushed him to a third-place finish on the Order of Merit, a strong enough result to regain his playing card for the 2014 Web.com Tour. At the age of 42, he also qualified for the 2015 U.S. Open, his first PGA Tour event, though he missed the cut. He has also competed on the Advocates Pro Golf Tour, which aims to expand opportunities for minority golfers.
PGA Tour Champions Era (2022-Present)
O’Neal earned his PGA Tour Champions card in 2022, joining the senior circuit alongside four other qualifiers from that year’s Q School. The move to the over-50 tour represented a fitting next chapter for a player whose career had spanned multiple continents and developmental tours. In October 2024, he captured the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, his first PGA Tour Champions victory, earning $350,000 and securing full status for the 2025 season.
The breakthrough win on PGA Tour Champions was the culmination of a long professional journey, validating years of perseverance through narrow Q School defeats and stints on smaller tours. Heading into 2025, O’Neal holds a Champions Tour card and continues to compete at a high level.
Notable Events and Milestones
O’Neal’s career is defined by a series of dramatic near-misses and eventual triumphs. His two single-stroke losses at PGA Tour Q School are well documented and have become a defining part of his story, but his ability to respond to those setbacks with international victories on PGA Tour Latinoamérica and, ultimately, a PGA Tour Champions title illustrates his resilience. His 2015 U.S. Open appearance at age 42 marked his long-awaited first taste of a major championship, and his 2024 Dominion Energy Charity Classic win stands as his most significant career milestone to date.
Tim O’Neal Career Wins
Tim O’Neal has accumulated nine professional victories across multiple tours, with wins spanning four continents. His titles include successes on PGA Tour Latinoamérica, the Alps Tour, the EPD Tour, the Golden Bear Tour, and PGA Tour Champions. He also holds an additional victory in other recognized professional events.
PGA Tour Champions Highlights
O’Neal’s lone PGA Tour Champions victory came at the 2024 Dominion Energy Charity Classic in October of that year. The win earned him $350,000 and secured his tour card for the 2025 season, marking a high point in his senior career debut period. The victory was his first on a major senior tour after years of competing on developmental circuits worldwide.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his Champions title, O’Neal has won three events on PGA Tour Latinoamérica, including back-to-back victories at the 2013 Arturo Calle Colombian Open and Abierto de Chile. He has also captured one Alps Tour title, two EPD Tour wins, and a Golden Bear Tour victory, in addition to one other professional event. His amateur success at Jackson State University, where he won 16 college tournaments and the 1997 Georgia Amateur Championship, laid the foundation for this professional resume.
Tim O’Neal Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Tim O’Neal was raised in Savannah, Georgia, the city where he was born and where he continues to reside. He attended Jackson State University, a connection that has remained important throughout his career. In 2011, the university asked him to lead its golf program, an offer he ultimately declined in order to continue playing competitively.
Personal Life
O’Neal lives in Savannah, Georgia, with his family. He is a father of two children. Outside of competitive golf, he has also been involved with the Advocates Pro Golf Tour, a circuit focused on creating more opportunities for minority players in the professional game.
2025 Season Performance
Tim O’Neal enters the 2025 PGA Tour Champions season with full playing status, secured by his breakthrough victory at the 2024 Dominion Energy Charity Classic. The win marked his first senior tour title and confirmed his place among the regular competitors on the over-50 circuit. With status locked in, O’Neal is positioned to compete in a full schedule of Champions events throughout the year.
Coming off a season that included a $350,000 payday and renewed momentum, O’Neal’s focus in 2025 will be on building consistency and adding to his Champions win total. His experience across multiple tours and continents provides a steady foundation for the demands of the senior schedule. The 2025 campaign represents a continuation of a long professional journey that has taken him from mini-tour anonymity to PGA Tour Champions success.