Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves shoots 76 in Korn Ferry Tour qualifier

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves competed in Monday's open qualifier for the Korn Ferry Tour's Visit Knoxville Open. He didn't qualify, but it was a memorable day regardless for the golf enthusiast who maintains the "Hillbilly Bogey" social media brand while also thriving in the NBA.

Reaves carded 6-over 76 at Willow Creek, 11 strokes shy of a qualifying position. The four players to advance from the site were Caleb Hicks (64), Jimmy Zheng (65), Dawson Jones (65) and Scott Stevens (65). A concurrent qualifier was held at Three Ridges GC, also with four spots available.

"You can't really compare anything to it," Reaves said after signing his card Monday. "I was nervous, I will say that, but it was a lot of fun. I was on the first tee shaking a little bit, didn't hit a good ball, but other than that, it was a lot of fun to play some competitive golf."

Reaves' presence in the qualifier field was first reported by Monday Q Info's Ryan French.

Click here for all scores from Willow Creek site. Click here for all scores from the Three Ridges site.

Reaves saw a little bit of everything Monday. Starting on the back nine at Willow Creek, he opened with a birdie at the par-5 10th before dropping back with bogeys on Nos. 12, 14 and 15. He added a birdie at No. 16 but closed the nine with back-to-back bogeys at Nos. 17 and 18, turning in 3-over 38. Reaves made bogey at No. 1 and then followed four straight pars with a triple bogey at the par-3 sixth. He finished strong with two pars and a birdie at the par-5 ninth.

Reaves' favorite golfer (growing up and to this day) is Jordan Spieth. Reaves enjoys the Texan's creative approach to the game, which the three-year NBA pro strives to channel in his own golf game.

"The artist he has in him ... he can hit every shot with a 60 (-degree wedge), he can close it, hit it low with a lot of spin, open up and hit it high," Reaves said. "I just like that, him being able to scramble around and make pars."

Last fall, Reaves was prompted on Zach Lowe's podcast to name the best golfer in the NBA. "Me," he said. Reaves carries a +2.2 Handicap Index in California, affiliated with the Westside Golf Collective. The Arkansas native averaged 15.9 points and 5.5 assists per game with the Lakers in the 2023-24 NBA season. Reaves was undrafted in 2021; he began his college career at Wichita State before transferring to the University of Oklahoma, and he has carved out a professional reputation as a reliable NBA guard.

Now he's following the lead of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who has made two Korn Ferry Tour starts on sponsor exemptions, and trying his hand in the professional golf arena.

This week's Visit Knoxville Open will be contested at Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville, Tennessee.