Palm Beach North Sports - March 2023

M a r c h 2 0 2 3 | P A L M B E A C H N O R T H SPORTS 5 Meet PGA Professional HUNTER O’MAHONY By Dan Hauser North Palm Beach Country Club • Golf • Pool • Tennis • Dinning Open to the Public 501 US Highway 1 North Palm Beach, FL 33408 Phone: 561-841-3380 Hunter O’Mahony’s foray into golf started practically when he was born. From the moment he could stand on his own, Hunter had a putter in his hand and would practice putting in his backyard. “My dad built a putting green in our backyard in Tequesta,” O’Mahony said. “It was an 18-hole putting course in our backyard and pretty much as soon as I could stand on my own I was back there putting.” On top of the putting course in his backyard, all of Hunter’s older brothers also played golf. Since he was around the game on a literal daily basis, O’Mahony made the decision to take up golf himself. “All 3 of my older brothers played golf,” Hunter explained. “One of them played professionally and he is still playing but all three competed when I was growing up.” Growing up in the Jupiter area allowed Hunter the chance to hone his craft surrounded by some of the top young talents in professional golf today including PGA Tour pro Daniel Berger and current LIV Golf player Chase Koepka. “Daniel is a year older than me but we played quite a bit of high school golf against each other,” O’Mahony said. “Chase and I played a lot of junior golf against each other.” After playing golf at the collegiate level for Division II Nova Southeastern, Hunter turned pro himself in the Fall of 2016. In the beginning, Hunter didn’t have the financial freedom to play as much as he would have liked. That all changed though thanks to an encounter with a person at the club where he was working. “Typically I would work mid-October through mid-May and put as much money away as I could,” Hunter said. “I did that for about 2 and a half years and then one day through the course I was working at a member came to me and said ‘Listen, I’ve played a lot of golf with you and I would like to give you the opportunity so tell me what you want to do.” That member “sponsored” him so that Hunter could go and play in the PGA Tour Latinoamerica Qualifying School event. Hunter made the most of his opportunity, finishing in the top 10 and guaranteeing himself a full season on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica. The generosity of that member didn’t end there though, he also provided Hunter with the financial support needed to play a full season in South America. While his 2019 season didn’t go as he had hoped, Hunter won the McDavid Charity Group Pro-Am event in Jupiter towards the end of the year. Unfortunately for him, and millions around the world, a few months later COVID hit, shutting everything down. On top of the COVID layoff, Hunter also had posterior labrum surgery on his left shoulder in October of 2021. Hunter admitted things got dark there for a little post-surgery, but in difficult times such as this, he turned to his support system for help and guidance. “To be successful, you need a team around you,” Hunter explained. “I have a nutritionist now, I kind of have a trainer, and I have my wife who supports me through it all.” While his future in golf may be up in the air at the moment, Hunter still has a lot to look forward to. A newlywed, Hunter’s biggest focus these days is on his new life with his wife, wherever that path may lead. “I want to be able to support my wife to the fullest,” O’Mahony said. “If that’s golfing then fantastic. If it’s selling insurance or doing something in sales or whatever, I don’t care because I want to be able to support my wife and our future family. As long as I can be the best version of myself that’s all that really matters.” COMMUNITY CORNER