Men’s Player of the Year: James Piot
James Piot of Canton finished atop the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Honor Roll and has been named the 2020 GAM Men’s Player of the Year. Piot, an MSU golfer who was second in Honor Roll points a year ago, keyed his season with the runner-up finish to Tyler Copp of Ann Arbor and Mercer University (Ga.) in the Michigan Amateur, and his showing in the U.S. Amateur at Oregon’s Bandon Dunes where he made a run at medalist honors and reached the round of 32 in match play.
“But I didn’t finish,” the redshirt junior golfer for Michigan State University said. “Next summer I want to get my name on some trophies.”
He finished with 975 Honor Roll points ahead of Copp, who plays out of Barton Hills Country Club and had 605 points. It was Copp who beat Piot 2 and 1 in the championship match of the Michigan Amateur at Boyne Highlands.
Piot, who plays out of Fox Hills Golf & Learning Center, called winning Player of the Year a big accomplishment. “I was runner-up and I was Junior Player of the Year, but this is a first and I’m grateful,” he said. “I hope to keep it going and try to win it again.”
Piot also finished third in the GAM Championship, just missed the prestigious final 16 at the Western Amateur and had noteworthy performances in several other national and regional tournaments. Piot plans to opt for a fifth and final year of eligibility at MSU granted by the NCAA due to the coronavirus pandemic. He has professional plans in the future.
“Overall, I had a good summer,” he said. “I didn’t have any bad tournaments, but I didn’t have any super tournaments either. The Michigan Amateur was a heartbreaker because I was playing so well through that week. I had a stretch where I was 11-under in 21 or 22 holes over two matches. That’s when I realized I can get my game to another level.”
