Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on August 2, 2022. It was updated on April 24, after Sweeney qualified to compete in a Korn Ferry Tour. )
The PGA Tour is not just about playing great golf. Each tournament has a high entry fee as well as other expenses such as airfare, rental cars and hotels.
It is difficult to attend the Tour without a sponsor.
Michael Sweeney is an aspiring PGA Tour golfer who has been working hard to achieve his goal. Sweeney has a non-traditional background in college golf but he’s not let that stop his ascent to the top.
Sweeney chose to live in his car rather than rent an apartment, so he could save money for tournaments and travel costs.
Sweeney said, “I parked in a rest stop near 95 but was told to leave by a security guard.” “I ended up sleeping on the Walmart parking lot at night… which is a very classy place to be.”
Michael Sweeney. (Michael Sweeney)
Sweeney tried to qualify for the U.S. Open 2022 but lost his place in a play-off in Purchase, New York.
Sweeney said, “I shot back-to-back 36-hole rounds of 69 and I was able to get into a eight-way playoff where we were all competing for three places.” “Unfortunately, in the playoff I shot par-par, but it was a great day.”
This week, he finally made it and will be starting in the Korn Ferry Tour Huntsville Open. The story is picked up by respected scribe, Monday Q.
Sweeney spent his entire savings again this week to pay for the $500 entrance fee for Korn Ferry at the Huntsville Open. He drove from Florida to Huntsville with another professional. Sweeney had qualified for 12 Monday qualifiers between the PGA Tour and KFT Tour, but he never made it past. He was 5 under par when he reached the par-4, 18th hole of Huntsville Country Club and felt he had to at least make a birdie. Sweeney decided to be aggressive and hit a big cut around the corner. The ball ended up 35 yards from the green in the bunker on the right. Sweeney, thinking he would have to go up and down the hill, did better by holing his shot. He needed to make a deuce.
He advanced to the playoff with a par at the second hole. Sweeney is set to play his first tournament on any tour under the PGA Tour umbrella.
The good news is that money for the rest of the week is tight. Unfortunately, money is a problem for the remainder of the week. Sweeney’s credit card limit is almost $800, so he cannot book a car rental. He still didn’t know how he would get around the city for the rest of the week as of Monday night. His dad paid $500 for the hotel room. It has all of the amenities that you would expect from a place charging $500 per week. Google reviews are full of complaints about bed bugs, being charged for nights that customers didn’t spend there and drug dealers or sex workers hanging around the parking lot.
Sweeney also raps when he’s not playing golf. His beats and raps are nearly as impressive as golf. He doesn’t promote it. You can find him here on .
Here is a complete interview between Sweeney & Averee.
