U.S. Amateur Champion James Piot earned co-medalist honors with teammate Troy Taylor II
The Spartans dominated the two-day Island Resort Intercollegiate by beating runner-up University of Central Florida by 23 strokes at Sage Run Golf Club in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
James Piot, the 2019 winner of the same event, shared medalist honors with teammate Troy Taylor II with a 54-hole total of 209. MSU also had three other players in the top 10 that had 13 players (including ties). MSU’s primary all-sport rival, Michigan, finished third with 880.
Piot, who recently became the first Michigan native to claim the prestigious U.S. Amateur golf championship, said he would have wanted a playoff if a golfer from a different school had claimed a share of first place.
Taylor, whose father Troy Taylor played basketball at Ohio State University, maintained “a good mind-set” in the final round played under balmy conditions with a slight wind.
“It was weird, but I had a blast playing against my teammate,” Taylor said. “I just wanted the team to do well. I enjoyed being in the hunt of things. I knew I had to play good golf because he is the national (amateur) champion.”
*Story by DENNIS GRALL, Retired Sports Editor of the Escanaba Daily Press and member of the Michigan Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame.
