Photo by: Mike Miller/B1G Ten
NCAA Championships Begin Friday for James Piot
5/26/2021 10:51:00 PM | Men's Golf
EAST LANSING – Michigan State senior James Piot is ready to take part in the NCAA Championships, beginning on Friday at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. Piot will compete in the first three rounds, Friday – Sunday. Following Sunday's round, the field is cut from 24 to 15 teams and the top nine individuals advance to the fourth and final round of stroke play on Monday to determine the individual NCAA Champion.
"I'm pretty excited to get the chance to play in the national championship," Piot said before heading to Arizona. "I've just kept on working this week. When I get out there, I've got to be disciplined. The ball will be flying a little farther in Arizona, so I'll need to gauge some numbers and figure that stuff out in the practice round and get ready to go on Friday."
Friday, May 28 – Round 1 begins at 9:10 a.m. ET | Golfstat
Saturday, May 29 – Round 2 begins at 9:10 a.m. ET
Sunday, May 30 – Round 3 begins at 9:10 a.m. ET (Top 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team are determined)
Monday, May 31 – Final round of stroke play begins at 1 p.m. ET | Individual champion crowned
Golf Channel coverage: Individual National Championship: 5 - 9 p.m. ET
Piot will be the first Spartan to compete as an individual in the NCAA Championships since Eric Jorgensen in 2002, who tied for 17th place. The Spartans last competed as a team in the NCAA Championships in 2007.
Piot, who will be the No. 2 individual seed when play gets started on Friday, earned a trip to the NCAA Championships by earning the only individual bid from the Kingston Springs Regional last week. Piot finished tied for fourth in the NCAA Kingston Springs Regional and was the top finisher out of those players not on one of the five teams to advance to the NCAA Championships.
After an opening-round 1-over-par 72, Piot shot a pair of 3-under-par 68s over the next two days in Kingston Springs. He moved into eighth place after round two, putting himself in position to grab the individual bid the following day. Piot's final round was nearly flawless. After a bogey to start the day, he picked up two birdies to make the turn at 1-under-par. Two more birdies on the back, along with seven pars, moved Piot up the leaderboard as he wound up finishing just three shots behind the regionals individual champion.
His 5-under-par 208 was the second-lowest 54-hole total of his career.
"I think he's in a very good spot," MSU head coach Casey Lubahn said. "He always expects a lot of himself. He's played with most of the elite players in this field and has played against them well over the last year."
Piot, who was an All-Big Ten First Team selection, owns a 71.04 scoring average, which is currently the lowest single-season average in program history. In 10 events this season, Piot has five top-five finishes, which includes a win at the Hoosier Collegiate Invitational in early April.
Over the last four tournaments (12 rounds), Piot has shot in the 60s five times. The native of Canton has placed in the top-six of all four tournaments, which included tying for sixth place at the Big Ten Championships.
"I'm pretty excited to get the chance to play in the national championship," Piot said before heading to Arizona. "I've just kept on working this week. When I get out there, I've got to be disciplined. The ball will be flying a little farther in Arizona, so I'll need to gauge some numbers and figure that stuff out in the practice round and get ready to go on Friday."
Friday, May 28 – Round 1 begins at 9:10 a.m. ET | Golfstat
Saturday, May 29 – Round 2 begins at 9:10 a.m. ET
Sunday, May 30 – Round 3 begins at 9:10 a.m. ET (Top 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team are determined)
Monday, May 31 – Final round of stroke play begins at 1 p.m. ET | Individual champion crowned
Golf Channel coverage: Individual National Championship: 5 - 9 p.m. ET
Piot will be the first Spartan to compete as an individual in the NCAA Championships since Eric Jorgensen in 2002, who tied for 17th place. The Spartans last competed as a team in the NCAA Championships in 2007.
Piot, who will be the No. 2 individual seed when play gets started on Friday, earned a trip to the NCAA Championships by earning the only individual bid from the Kingston Springs Regional last week. Piot finished tied for fourth in the NCAA Kingston Springs Regional and was the top finisher out of those players not on one of the five teams to advance to the NCAA Championships.
After an opening-round 1-over-par 72, Piot shot a pair of 3-under-par 68s over the next two days in Kingston Springs. He moved into eighth place after round two, putting himself in position to grab the individual bid the following day. Piot's final round was nearly flawless. After a bogey to start the day, he picked up two birdies to make the turn at 1-under-par. Two more birdies on the back, along with seven pars, moved Piot up the leaderboard as he wound up finishing just three shots behind the regionals individual champion.
His 5-under-par 208 was the second-lowest 54-hole total of his career.
"I think he's in a very good spot," MSU head coach Casey Lubahn said. "He always expects a lot of himself. He's played with most of the elite players in this field and has played against them well over the last year."
Piot, who was an All-Big Ten First Team selection, owns a 71.04 scoring average, which is currently the lowest single-season average in program history. In 10 events this season, Piot has five top-five finishes, which includes a win at the Hoosier Collegiate Invitational in early April.
Over the last four tournaments (12 rounds), Piot has shot in the 60s five times. The native of Canton has placed in the top-six of all four tournaments, which included tying for sixth place at the Big Ten Championships.
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