The Challenge Tour’s latest American import Seth Reeves is left-handed, plays with the kind of creativity as his fellow lefties Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson, and is from the same management stable as a certain Brooks Koepka. He is confident, too, that he can reach the kind of heady heights that all three have achieved.
The 23 year old is playing his fourth Challenge Tour event this week at the Swiss Challenge presented by Association Suisse de Golf, having made his debut at the Made in Denmark Challenge just over three weeks ago.
Reeves arrived on European soil with an impressive CV - a two-time All-American in the USA collegiate ranks having studied at Georgia Tech, he was the seventh ranked amateur in the country by the time he left.
Brooks (Koepka) is pretty much the reason why I’m doing this
Following in the footsteps of Americans Brooks Koepka and Peter Uihlein, as well as USA-based Korean and recent winner of the BMW PGA Championship Byeong-hun An, Reeves decided to step out of his comfort zone and take his burgeoning professional career to Europe and the Challenge Tour.
Brooks Koepka and Peter Uihlein, both Challenge Tour alumni
It was his Koepka in particular, as a stablemate at Hambric Sports Management, who provided the inspiration to make the journey across the Atlantic.
“He’s pretty much the reason why I’m doing this,” said the Atlanta player. “I played with him in college a few times, don’t know him too well as he’s a year or two older than me, but of course he’s a fantastic player and I feel like we have similar games.
“The team at Hambric told me how good the experience was for him over here and I knew that it was something I didn’t want to pass up, even though it will be difficult at times.
“Of course, Brooks played really well over here but I knew that even if the results didn’t come over here, I knew I would go back home a much better player.
I’ve taken a step outside of my comfort zone and I feel like I’ve already grown a lot... I’m hoping the results are going to come pretty soon
“It’s been great so far, it’s been an eye-opener for me. It was my first time in Europe in Denmark and I’m about three weeks in now. I played in Austria and then Czech and now I’m here in Switzerland so it’s been a great experience.
“Denmark was cold and windy, Austria was cold and rainy so put that on top of the travelling to all these different countries I’ve never been to before, on my own, with new currencies, languages. It’s all been really different.
“I’ve taken a step outside of my comfort zone and I feel like I’ve already grown a lot as a player and a person and I’m hoping the results are going to come pretty soon.”
The towering former World Amateur Number 26 is certainly not lacking in confidence and thinks that his game somewhat resembles that of his fellow lefties Mickelson and Watson, who both delight crowds with their creative approach to the game.
“I liked Phil growing up because he was left handed,” he said. “We’re similar in that, I think he’s right handed in everything else and so am I. I grew up playing a lot of sport and I was always a little ambidextrous when I was young, but I would swing things left handed.
“But it feels like it gives me a lot of power. I can hit it a good ways and I’m definitely more of a creative player. I like to flight the ball low, high, curve it both ways and try and play golf more artistically than scientifically – that’s basically how I would describe my game.
“I can relate to Bubba. He’s as far as you get on that creative, non-mechanical side but I’m a little bit closer to the normal side. My swing isn’t as wild as his but I see the game that way. I hope to be as good as him some day.”
Looking ahead to this week, Reeves is hoping that all facets of his game can come together at a Golf Sempachersee venue which he already likes and, after experiencing all kinds of unseasonal weather in places like Denmark and Austria, he is also looking forward to enjoying some sunshine in Switzerland.
“The course is great, as have all the course I’ve played,” he said. “It seems like it’s going to be a great event here. It’ll be a beautiful week with the weather and it’s a great setting. Everything’s in good shape and I think it’ll be a good challenge.”
