The triumph validated the 23-year-old’s decision to delay her professional debut, which she did last season to play for Australia at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship.

However, even more importantly, it punched her ticket to the Ford Women’s New South Wales Open this summer, opening myriad possibilities for future playing opportunities.

Amazingly, Reeves, who started the final round tied for the lead at one over, played her front nine in a five-over-par 41, not realistically threatening a birdie as several competitors raced past.

However, after a monstrous drive on the par-four 10th reached the green and set up a two-putt birdie, things clicked.

At that point, Danni Vasquez-Boyd, who watched in amazement as Reeves’ drive ran past her feet on the 10th green, was a three-shot leader.

Twenty minutes later, after Vasquez-Boyd imploded, Amelia Mehmet Grohn looked to have the tournament in her keeping, only to falter badly in her closing few holes.

All the while, Reeves hung tough.

And while her spectacular long second shot into the brutal 13th green ended in a three-putt par, the momentum it sparked carried her to a birdie on the 14th, followed by a brilliant downhill putt for another on the 16th to pull clear.

A great save on the 17th was followed by a three-putt bogey on the 18th, but even though she didn’t realise it at that moment, she’d done enough to keep the hard-charging Steph Hall at bay by a stroke.

“Everything happened so fast,” Reeves confessed afterwards.

“I didn’t realise I was two in front [playing the last], I knew it was close because the cameras came back on me a bit, but I didn’t have a clue I’d won.”

“Then, when I saw the girls [led by Jordie O’Brien] with the bottles of water coming over, I knew I had won. I couldn’t believe it."

“I said to Jordie, ‘Did I win?’ and she’s like, 'Yeah!’ It was an amazing feeling.”

The pocket rocket doesn’t outwardly appear to be a classic golf brawler, but she’s clearly made of stern stuff – an attribute for which she credits the mind coaching of Jonah Oliver.

“We have been working on the psychological side of things for a few years, and it’s [partly] about not worrying about score outcome,” Reeves said.

“It was a real rollercoaster out there for me today, but I was really kind of embracing all the feelings that you get. I think I did do a really good job with that."

“Things weren't going my way on the front nine; I wasn't hitting them in the right spots or putting well, so being able to come back and start hitting some really good shots into better positions was something I was really happy with.”

Reeves, who left home in Stanthorpe aged 13 to attend the Hills Golf Academy, made famous by Jason Day among others, said her inner fight and drive were among traits not obvious when outsiders see her smiling disposition.

“Yeah, I’m a fighter. I mean, I'm happy to have a chat on the course and to talk to anyone - players or [media] or people out there watching."

“When it really comes down to the shot, when I'm over the ball, like, I am really focused on that."

“I think that's when that kind of comes out in me.”

Reeves said her win would prove an emotional one for her family at home in Queensland, particularly her mum Juliette, who has watched scores tick around on the internet for a decade from afar as her daughter roamed far and wide to achieve her goals.

“I am sure mum will be crying. They have just sent me a photo of family all about to go to my auntie's 60th, so I’m sure it will be quite a party because I know they're all at home watching on the TV.”

Hall became the second qualifier for the 2026 Ford Women’s NSW Open, coming from the clouds to finish second, just one back at five-over.

Something of a free spirit on the course, Hall was three-under through her first eight holes, as everyone else threw their scores into reverse.

She put a costly double-bogey on the treacherous 13th behind her with another couple of late birdies and shot a superb 71 – the day’s best score by an amazing four strokes.

“I just had to hold it together after yesterday [opening 78], so I just thought I'd come out and go as hard as I can in those conditions and see what happened,” Hall said.

“Honest to God, I never thought about it [the leaderboard] at all, and it was just one of those things where I came off the course and got a bit of a surprise that I was where I was."

“I’m pretty happy now, especially to qualify for the Open. I just need to keep playing like that.”

 

2026 REGIONAL QUALIFYING SCHEDULE

Wagga Wagga Country Club: 15 – 17 October 2025

Dubbo Golf Club: 26 – 28 November 2025

Narrabri Golf Club: 30 November – 2 December 2025

Moss Vale Golf Club: 11 – 13 February 2026

The Links Shell Cove: 17 – 19 February 2026