MSU Men’s Golf tied for second place on Day 1 of NCAA Bath Regional

BATH TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WILX) - Michigan State’s men’s golf team is off to a good start Monday on the first of three days of the NCAA Regional, which began at Eagle Eye in Bath Township.

The MSU women’s team was also in attendance.

Michigan State’s fifth-seeded player, senior Troy Taylor, bogeyed the final hole for a five-under-par 66, putting him in a tie for second place. The Spartans are six shots behind the leader, Georgia, whose team scored 18-under-par.

The top five teams will qualify for the NCAA finals in Scottsdale, Arizona. Taylor expressed his satisfaction with his start, emphasizing that there are still 36 more holes to play.

“I haven’t really helped the team out in the first round, and coach knows I’ll fight back really well,” Taylor said. “On the first tee today, he told me to go out there and play hard. So today, I wanted to help out my teammates, and in the first round, it was nice to contribute and put us in a good position. I’m just really happy about that.”

Tom Izzo was also in attendance, seeking pointers for his own swing.

Wisconsin’s Max Schwartz made a birdie on the par 5 at 18, and Troy Taylor celebrated with a high five. MSU’s Bradley Smithson narrowly missed a birdie, shooting two under par with a score of 69. On the ninth hole, MSU’s Drew Hackett made par, also shooting 69.

MSU coach Casey Lubahn expressed his satisfaction with the Spartans’ performance:

“It was a really good start. They played 18 a bit rough, but other than that, they were steady and comfortable and managed their golf ball really well,” Lubahn said. “It’s just one day, but you can also lose on the first day, so we’ve put ourselves in an awesome position.”

Meanwhile, Michigan State’s women’s golf team will depart for Scottsdale, Arizona tomorrow, where the women’s national finals will begin on Friday, featuring a 30-team field.

The MSU women won their Regional last week, and the coach is eager for another big tournament:

“The sky’s the limit for this team right now, and for the players,” said coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll. “We won’t lose anyone on this team next year, and we have two more very talented players coming in, so life is good.”

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