Mike Sweeney, after living out of his car, finally qualifies for a Korn Ferry Tour event
Mike Sweeney has gone all-in on his professional golf dream.
This week, after a long stretch of living out of his car, it finally paid off.
Sweeney, after spending most of his savings on the entry fee, played his way into the Korn Ferry Tour’s Huntsville Open on Monday.
Sweeney, according to MondayQ’s Ryan French, holed a bunker shot on his final hole to sneak into a playoff at the Monday qualifier. He then secured one of the two available spots for this week’s Korn Ferry Tour event on the second playoff hole.
The tournament was Sweeney’s 12th qualifier between the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA Tour. He nearly qualified for last year’s U.S. Open, but he fell in a playoff.
He had to pay $500 just to compete Monday, which was most of his savings, and he drove up with another pro. He’s almost out of money now, too, pushing up against his credit card limit. Thankfully, Sweeney said his dad helped pay for his hotel room — though it’s not the best.
Sweeney has been pursuing his golf dream for years. He moved in with his dad in Florida in 2018, but had to promise he would move out when he turned 25 two years later. So for years now, Sweeney has been sleeping out of his car, sometimes in Walmart parking lots, or couch surfing between friends. He still sneaks into the gym at his dad’s apartment complex to work out and shower.
“I was originally parking in a little rest stop off of 95 and then I got the boot from one of the security guards,” Sweeney told Golfweek. “So, I ended up sleeping in the Walmart parking lot most nights … which you know is a classy spot to be.”
He’s spent time working in a bowling alley, a gas station Subway, an equestrian club and at a golf course trying to save money. He also raps on the side under the name “MikeyD860." Thankfully, the golf course he works at lets him play and practice there.
“I either have to pay to play golf or pay for a place to live,” Sweeney said, via the Korn Ferry Tour. “I couldn’t really afford to do both.”
Somehow, Sweeney is still very positive about his living situation. His golf game is trending up, too. After breaking 70 on a small minor league circuit in Florida just once in his first two years, he finally picked up a win in the league last January. Now, he’s playing in his first event under the PGA Tour umbrella this week.
While he still has a ways to go to secure a more permanent spot on the Korn Ferry Tour, and a more permanent living situation, Sweeney is just happy to be playing golf for a living.
“I’m capable of doing just about anything I want to do and having a positive attitude toward it,” Sweeney said, via the Korn Ferry Tour. “Because if you can stay positive [living out of a car], then you can stay positive doing just about anything.”