Another MSU Golfer is Heading to the U.S. Amateur

It’s Troy Taylor II’s time to shine

By Tom Lang

Like his MSU brethren James Piot, and MSU Women’s golf program ‘sisters’ Valery Plata and Valentina Rossi, MSU Men’s golfer Troy Taylor II is soon heading off to the 2022 U.S. Amateur in search of success similar to the three other Spartans above.

As any MSU golf fan knows, Piot won the national Amateur Championship last August to much fanfare, followed by trips to Augusta National and beyond – while Plata and Rossi each made it to the national semifinals on the women’s side of the U.S. Amateur in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

“We’ve definitely had a great track record; on the women’s side with their final fours and then James (Piot) capturing the championship last year,” said Taylor, an Ohio transplant whose father Troy was an Ohio State basketball standout in the 1980s that beat Jud Heathcote teams every season of his Buckeye career.

“The U.S. Amateur has been great for both MSU programs and I’m just really excited to go there,” he continued. “I don’t think there’s any pressure on me. I just want to represent Michigan State well, just try my best and whatever happens at the end of the week is somewhat like the girls have been doing. And James hoisting the trophy is how I’d like to end my week. Wherever it all goes it will be great representing Michigan State there again.”

Considering he’s the only person in his family to not attend OSU, Taylor II could have given his father a stroke when announcing he’d be going to Michigan State. But he says that didn’t happen, not even close. His father was very supportive about any college he wanted to attend.

“My parents are super happy with MSU Athletics and how great the MSU fan base has treated me,” he said. “My dad was super excited for me. We’ll go places and he has almost more MSU gear than I do, and he wears it proud.”

In late July, Taylor II was one of 10 collegiate golfers selected to the inaugural All-America team by the Black College Golf Coaches Association (BCGCA) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). The BCGCA Awards honor black college golfers from all backgrounds across all divisions of college golf.

He also played this year for the second time in The John Shippen Invitational at Detroit Golf Club, where competitors were going after an exemption into the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic. Taylor II finished the two rounds T5 at 3-under par, and as the low amateur.

Going into last fall’s college season, Taylor II placed second in a professional APGA Tour event in Florida for black players.

Taylor, who will be returning for his fifth season at MSU, averaged 72.59 this past season playing in all 13 tournaments for the Spartans. He posted four top-20 finishes, including co-medalist honors at the Island Resort Collegiate with Piot at 7-under par 209. The success has continued this summer for Taylor, who in July won the Columbus District Golf Association Amateur title in Ohio and followed that up with a runner-up 3-under par in the U.S. Amateur qualifier held at Forest Akers.