"Q-School is never fun" - Tim O'Neal on earning full status on PGA Tour Champions 

"Q-School is never fun"

These were the words of Tim O'Neal after getting a card for the PGA Champions Tour next year.

O'Neal has never played on the PGA Tour. Born in Savannah, Georgia, O'Neal could only play four seasons of the Korn Ferry Tour, an amateur tour between 2001 and 2007. He had a good record at the Korn Ferry Tour, where he had 9 top-10 finishes. He was the runner-up in then Northeast Pennsylvania Classic 2006.

But golf is not a cheap sport, it requires a lot of economic stability. As O'Neal struggled with finances, he started teaching golf.

In 2013, O'Neal earned a PGA Tour Latinoamerica card where he emerged victorious twice.

Having never played on the PGA Tour, Q-School was a pathway to fulfill his dream, but O'Neal didn't have a great relationship with Q-School. He had reached the finals twice and at both times, he was short of getting the card.

O'Neal finished at T3 Q-School with a three-way tie alongside Brian Cooper and David McKenzie (Image Via PGA Tour)

In 2000, O'Neal was leading in the final round, hitting a bogey on hole 17. At that point, he was one stroke below the qualifying numbers. Having been unaware of this, he double bogeyed hole 18. Once again in 2004, O'Neal was just one stroke short of qualifying for the PGA Tour.

This time, however, the end result was different. O'Neal was finally able to leave his Q-School demons behind and was successful in getting one of the five cards for the PGA Tour Champions. O'Neal turned 50 this August, making him eligible to play for the PGA Tour Champions.

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"I'm really at a loss of words" - O'Neal

Tim O'Neal gets a card for PGA Champions Tour 2023 (Image Via PGA Tour)

Q- School is not easy. 78 professsionals fight to get just five cards. It can be frustrating to get to the final round and leave empty handed.

“Man, I’m really at a loss of words, I’ve been going to Q-School for a long time, and for me to get status, my first year going to Champions Tour Q-School, just crazy happy right now. I’m at a loss for words, but it’s been a long time coming for me,” O'Neal described his feelings to PGATour.com.

"I proved that I can play under pressure and get through Q-School, I’ve been going to a lot of Q-Schools over the years, and for me to get status in my first time going is huge. But I’ve been putting in the hard work, and I’m always trying to get better,” O’Neal added.

O'Neal said that unlike other tournaments, Q-School was very nerve-racking.

He finished third with a score of 13 under across 72 holes, tying alongside Brian Cooper and David McKenzie. Richard Green topped the leadderboard with18 under followed by Wes Short Jr at 14 under.

All five players will be able to participate in full-field events at the 2023 PGA Tour Champions. The Chubb Classic will begin in late February.