Three-down with nine to play, Michigan State’s James Piot comes back to win 121st U.S. Amateur at Oakmont

August 15, 2021

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OAKMONT, Pa. — The first thing James Piot told Michigan State head coach Casey Lubahn when he got on campus was that he wanted to be an All-American. Lubahn laughed at first and suggested to start with All-Big Ten.

“I said, ‘No, coach, I want to be an All-American,’” remembered Piot. “I’ve always had high goals, and that’s been something that has driven me from day one, just going over the top, and they’re paying off now.”

Piot, an honorable mention Ping All-American last season for the Spartans, can now add “national champion” to his list of accomplishments. The Canton, Michigan, native took down North Carolina junior Austin Greaser in dramatic fashion during Sunday’s 36-hole final to win the 121^st U.S. Amateur at Oakmont Country Club, 2 and 1.

There’s a difference between close matches and good matches, and the morning round was a close match. Neither player had their best stuff early as both Greaser and Piot traded brief leads in their first trip around the famed track outside Pittsburgh. At the afternoon break, Piot held a 1-up lead after earning a conceded birdie on the 18^th hole to card a 2-over 72 (with match play concessions). Greaser was three shots worse at 5-over 75.

In the afternoon, Greaser came out firing with wins on three of the first four holes to flip the match and take a 2-up lead. Piot stopped the bleeding and the two tied the next four holes before Greaser extended his lead with a par on No. 9. Three-up with nine holes to play in the marathon finale, it seemed like the match was Greaser’s to lose. After all, he hadn’t lost a hole in the afternoon round.

Then Piot got to work with wins on five of the next six holes to take a 2-up lead thanks to two birdies and a handful of mistakes from Greaser. The pair traded pars down the stretch before the match ended on the 17th green after a clutch putt from Piot.