Patrick Newcomb received an exemption into the Korn Ferry Tour’s Simmons Bank Open in May, but he's already part of the field, so he gave the opportunity to a friend. 

After Newcomb won the APGA's Farmers Insurance Invitational at Torrey Pines on Sunday, he gave the exemption he received with his victory to APGA veteran Tim O'Neal, who nearly won the tour's first nationally televised event, but his 5-foot birdie putt on the final hole lipped out.

"Tim O'Neal, who missed a short one on the last that was surprising, you can see my face after, he's been a great friend of mine for a long, long time," Newcomb said Wednesday on Golf Today, "and I've spoken to the Korn Ferry Tour and I'd like to issue the invite to Tim. I spoke with [Tim] earlier and he'd be happy to take it, so I'm excited to have Tim in the field at the Simmons Bank." 
 
O'Neal, 49, has made over 200 starts on mini-tours and has eight PGA Tour starts to his name, including the 2015 U.S. Open. He has played on the APGA, a non-profit tour that's dedicated to bringing diversity to golf, since its inception in 2010, winning three APGA titles. 

Newcomb, a 31-year-old Murray State alumni, who won the final PGA Tour Latinoamerica event of 2021, already earned partial status on the Korn Ferry Tour this year after tying for 11th in the KFT Q School Finals. This week at the Panama Championship, he will make his third KFT start of 2022. 

And at the Farmers Insurance Open, in front of a nationally televised audience, he claimed his maiden APGA victory and took home $30,000. But by not needing the free spot in the Simmons Bank Open that came along with his prize money, Newcomb honored his commitment to helping grow the game.