Lakers guard Austin Reaves did not qualify for a Korn Ferry Tour occasion Monday in Knoxville, Tenn., capturing a six-over par 76 at Willow Creek Nation Membership.
Reaves, an avid golfer, performed in a event for the primary time since highschool.
His plus-6 was 73rd out of 79 gamers.
“Like, I used to be nervous,” Reaves mentioned in a cellphone interview with The Occasions. “That was the primary time I bought on the tee field like I used to be closing in on profitable this … and it didn't go that means.”
Reaves' love of golf led the guard to signal an endorsement cope with clothes model Travis Matthew. He additionally has a golf-specific social media channel known as “Hillbilly Bogey,” a play on his nickname “Hillbilly Kobe” from school.
Earlier final season, one in all his trick pictures went viral, and earlier this season, Reaves had a hole-in-one on a simulated gap No. 7 at Pebble Seashore whereas taking part in in an occasion at Riviera Nation Membership .
The concept to qualify for the event got here with out a lot planning, he mentioned.
“I used to be mendacity on the sofa the opposite day and I used to be drained, and I known as [my friend Trent Swaim] and mentioned 'Discover me a Monday qualifier right here,'” Reaves mentioned.
Quickly after, he was booked to play in Monday's occasion.
After his spherical, he mentioned his placing did it and guessed that if his quick sport had been higher, he may need completed one or two pictures beneath par. He had a six on a par-three gap that included him attempting to save lots of an errant tee shot with a left chip from the mud. Reaves golfs proper hand.
Reaves, an undrafted free agent within the 2021 NBA draft class, simply completed his third yr with the Lakers, averaging 15.9 factors, 4.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists a sport.
He performed in all 82 video games (not together with the season finale and playoff sport) this previous season.
