His body has been worked on so many times that Maaco could be an appropriate sponsor. From hips and hernias, neck to nervous system, back and brain, there's little equipment left on Tim Simpson's body that's in factory condition.

"I'm an organ donor on my Georgia drivers license," Simpson said. "But when I kick the bucket, I've got nothing they're going to want."

Getty Images (ENLARGE)

Georgia's Tim Simpson, now in his third season on the Champions Tour, contracted Lyme disease in the prime of his career.

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There is one body part worth salvaging: his heart. Not the blood-pumping muscle, but the metaphorical heart that to this day defines Simpson's attitude and explains the reason he's continued to fight through tribulations to remain a professional golfer.

"The only thing they'd want is my heart, because I've never given up," he said. "That's the way I was raised. Giving up is not an option. You keep focusing on your dreams and you keep working hard."

Now a Lake Oconee resident, Simpson begins his third season on the Champions Tour believing he can win again, a proposition that seemed remote a dozen years ago when he developed tremors in his left hand. It's impossible to chase down Greg Norman — or even Norman Bates — when your hands are shaking like a freshman asking for his first date.

The trouble began after Simpson contracted Lyme disease on a hunting trip in 1991. He went from being a top-10 money winner on the PGA Tour in 1989 and 1990 to No. 85 in 1991 and No. 144 in 1992.

After years of improper diagnoses and dead-end streets, Simpson opted in 2005 for a radical nine-hour brain surgery to correct the problem. Doctors implanted an electrode in his brain and attached it to a battery-operated mechanism in his chest. Simpson calls the neurostimulator — a device about the size of pack of cigarettes that protrudes from his chest — his brain generator.

'A second chance'

The surgery instantly stopped the tremors and allowed Simpson to regain his promising career.

"It's been quite a journey," Simpson said. "I feel like God has given me a second chance, but I feel like there's strings attached. I feel he's going to use me as an inspiration to others to never give up."

That became clear two weeks ago after the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton, Fla. Simpson didn't play well in the final round, shooting a 75 to finish out of contention. Simpson walked out of the scorer's trailer and was hailed by a young man who requested a few minutes.

"He said, I don't know if you'll remember me, but in 1990 when you were playing the Honda Classic, I was 11 years old and I was dying of cancer and you came and visited me in the hospital,' " Simpson said.

"This guy was 28 now, a pro golfer on the South American Tour, and doing great. He said, 'I just wanted to let you know I've never forgot you and what you did for me. You came and visited me at the hospital, brought me a bag full of stuff and talked with me for over an hour.'?"

Suddenly that three-putt didn't seem so important. On his drive across the tip of Florida to the next event, Simpson called his wife to recount the story and "bawled my eyes out."

Richard Motacki, Simpson's caddie, sees it happen all the time.

"With the Internet it's easy for people to find him, and they're always coming up to him and telling him what an inspiration he's been to them," Motacki said.

That's why Simpson prints the catchphrase "Never give up" under his autograph.

"It's a lesson in life, that life isn't always easy. It's not always roses," Simpson said. "There's cloudy days and you can't give up. We all have good days and we all have bad days, but in my career, in 31 years, you cannot find a single PGA Tour pro or caddie who can ever say they've seen me give up."

Concessions to age

There are changes brought on by age. Simpson, who was the PGA Tour's premier ball-beater before Vijay Singh, can no longer take the bodily abuse from spending all day on the range. He works hard on his short game and visualizes what he wants to do on the course. "It's more important to stay fresh," he said.

Now Simpson said it's just a matter of getting back in the fight often enough to regain his confidence under pressure. He was fifth at the Senior PGA Championship last year, one of three top-10s. His best showing this year is a tie for 21st at the Ace Group Classic in Naples, Fla.

Simpson is convinced that once his confidence returns he'll produce multiple victories.

"That'll be coming full circle for me," he said. "Yes, I got dealt a bad deck of cards. I missed my peak earning years and lost out on a lot of money, possibly quite a few tournament wins. But if something good can come out of it, if I can come back and show my tenacity and win and play great again, hopefully I'll be an inspiration to others."