Watch: Korn Ferry Tour’s homeless golfer Michael Sweeney makes hole-in-one

Michael Sweeney posted a hole-in-one on Friday on the fourth hole of the Korn Ferry Tour’s HomeTown Lenders Championship round 1.

Sweeney had to wait for his turn as the game was postponed on Thursday (April 27) due to unplayable weather conditions. However, it didn't take much for Sweeney to leave an impression as he holed out an ace on the par-3 13th hole with his 4-iron.

The hole-in-one was the highlight of Sweeney's first round at the event as he posted a total of 1-under 69 on Friday. Besides the ace on the thirteenth hole, the 26-year-old dug in three more birdies along with two bogeys and a double bogey.

Earlier on Monday, he qualified for his first start on the Korn Ferry Tour in a playoff, which he reached with an Eagle on the 18th hole from the bunker. Entering the playoffs of the HomeTown Lenders Championship, he shot a par on the second hole to earn his first KFT start at The Ledges in Huntsville, Alabama.

---

Michael Sweeney's journey from car parking to the Korn Ferry Tour

Michael Sweeney said he lived in a car for three-four months

It was not an easy road for Sweeney to play on the Korn Ferry Tour as he didn't have money to buy or rent a home so he spent many nights in a car.

Raised in Enfield, Sweeney's first introduction to the game of golf was by his father. While growing up his aspirations to play on the PGA Tour increased and he worked harder for it.

Michael didn't have a typical college golf background as he wasn't successful enough to draw the attention of collegiate golf coaches to him. However, Micahel's hard work paid off as he made it into amateur golf.

Last year, Michael Sweeney tried to qualify for the 2022 U.S. Open and started well, with two straight 69 in 36 holes, to get into the playoff. However, he lost his place in the playoff at Purchase, New York.

To get into the Monday Qualifiers at the Huntsville Open this week, he paid $500, using all his savings. Fortunately, he made it to the main event by winning the qualifier in a playoff.

---

"It's hard to put it into words" - Michael Sweeney on making it to the first Korn Ferry Tour start

While speaking to reporters during the Hometown Lenders Championship, Michael Sweeney said that he didn't mind sleeping in the car or working at Subway during his struggle times.

He said:

"Think if you're going to do something, you just got to fully commit to it. Like, I moved to Florida to play golf and give this a run. So, my idea was basically, I'm going to do whatever was necessary to put myself in the position, right? So, whether it be sleeping in my car, working at Subway, or whatever it had to be, that's what I was going to commit to doing."

The 26-year-old has now qualified for his first start on the Korn Ferry Tour and it's not easy for him to put that feeling into words.

He said:

"It's hard to put it into words. Luckily, I'm not living in my car anymore. But from that point, not having any professional wins, living in my car in a Walmart parking lot, to now having this opportunity, and I think it's just a combination of self-belief in the work."