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Topher Reed Commits to Ohio State for Golf

By Joe Ginley '12 , 09/02/20, 3:15PM EDT

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The Buckeyes are getting one of the best young golfers in the country.

Use all the superlatives you want, but it's impossible to overstate the talent and long-term potential of Topher Reed.

A varsity golfer since his freshman year, it was only a matter of time until a prestigious Division I school snatched him up. 

That time has come. Reed has committed to his top school – The Ohio State University. 

Reed announced his decision on Wednesday morning, joining a talented Buckeyes squad. A lifelong Buckeyes fan, Reed long dreamed of donning the scarlet and gray. His vision has become a reality thanks to his years of hard work. 

"I grew up a Buckeye fan and saw just how much sports mean to these people in Ohio and I wanted to be apart of that," Reed says.

Wildcats Head Coach PJ Myers '99 has literally watched Reed grow up, and always knew this day would come. First as an observer and now as a coach, Myers has noticed Reed's drive.

It's not quite a cockiness. It's a self-assuredness and a doggedness that makes Reed special.  

"I've known Topher since he was 8-9 years old. You can see when you look at him, he has a different look in his eye than other people," Myers says. "A determination. He's going to go out, put down his goals, and reach them. In his mind, he said, 'I want to play for OSU. I know what I have to do, and I'm gonna work hard every day.' His self-belief is undeniable. When he wants something, nothing or no one is going to take that away from him."

If you watch Topher golf, you'll see it.

Last season, Reed set the school record for a season average with a 71.2. That's not easy to do for a fall season that offers plenty of weather challenges.

So far in his junior campaign, the results have been nothing short of stellar. Reed has consistently shot in the low 70s, with some scores in the high 60s. Reed helped the Wildcats set team records for Par 71 and 72 courses, including a marvelous 68 (-3) earlier on this season.  

You'll also notice something else special about him, beyond his extraordinary talent.

Just like other sports, not many people have pure golf talent. Fewer still golfers have a God-given gift that separates the pros from the wanna-be's: a pure vision for the game. Pair that with his physical skillset, and you have a golfer capable of greatness. 

"Topher is the most unique golfer I've been around or coached," Myers says. "His physical talent is amazing, but he sees things and visualizes shots I can't even imagine. It has something to do with the way his brain operates. He has a creative tool in his brain that allows him to see things differently. He can visualize shots that other golfers and regular people, or even really good golfers, simply can't comprehend." 

In his second year as head coach of the Golf Cats, after many as an assistant, Myers has literally changed his coaching approach to fit Reed's skillset and mindset.

"As a coach, sometimes you try to manage and control a golfer to get them a lower score. But Topher just has a knack for seeing differently," Myers explains. "He is aggressive and takes chances that normal golfers wouldn't, and he pulls them off most of the time. I've changed the way I coach him specifically. You gotta let the bird fly. At the end of the day, you have a kid with unique talent, who will try shots under pressure that normally you wouldn't. It's all about helping him prepare to play at the next level. I couldn't be more proud and happy for him."

The next level has always been in view for Reed. 

Topher has always been a diehard Buckeye, just like his dad. Wearing the scarlet and gray was always a dream, and when OSU coach Jay Moseley offered Reed the chance to be a Buckeye, there was no way that the Ohioan would say no. 

"I wanted to go to a college that I would be as proud as I possibly could when I went around wearing their logo, and OSU gave me the most pride for wearing that logo on my chest for the next 6 years and even after that," Reed says. "I can’t thank enough the Ignatius golf team and community for all the support through this process."

Ohio State will be a better team because of Reed, no doubt. 

And college is not the limit for Reed. You may be watching him on TV one day. 

"Topher's ceiling is infinite. His physical abilities are great, as are his mental and emotional strength," says Myers, a former Division I golfer. "He stays composed and uses adversity to his advantage. He stays emotionally grounded. Add together his physical capabilities with the mental and emotional strengths, and he can go as far as he wants to, which could absolutely mean the PGA Tour one day if he continues working hard." 

And of course, beyond his golfing ability, Topher is simply a great human being too. 

Myers and his coaches and teachers at Saint Ignatius couldn't be prouder of him. 

"He's worked so hard since he was 6 years old. To see him reach his goals, it's a special," Myers says. "Topher is a wonderful person and a great soul. He cares for other people. A lot of times, he put others in front of himself. To see the happiness that this brought him, I was ecstatic. I'm so happy for him and his family because they've sacrificed a lot. This is an amazing feat, it really is."