Reed On The Greens May 8, 2025
From Roll Tide To Go Green Go White For Taylor Kehoe
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com

Photos: MSU Spartans Athletics

When Strathroy’s Taylor Kehoe left the powerhouse University of Alabama women’s golf program after her sophomore year to join Michigan State University, she really rolled the dice on her collegiate golf career. But that gamble – leaving the Crimson Tide for the Spartans – has paid off in spades, as MSU – backed by Kehoe’s stellar play – is headed to the NCAA Championships May 16-21 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.

On May 6, Kehoe, 21, led the way for the Spartans at an NCAA Regional tournament firing a 3-under 69 to finish in a tie for fifth place individually at 4-under-par 212 (72-71–69). She posted five birdies in that final round, including three on the back nine, to help secure the finish for MSU. Her round of 69 is tied for the fifth-lowest by a Spartan in an NCAA Regional and her 54-hole score of 212 is tied for the second-lowest in program history.

It was Kehoe’s clutch play that was key in clinching MSU’s third-straight NCAA Championships appearance and fourth in the last five years. In fact, when the game is on the line, Kehoe comes through time after time – ever since she was an 8-year-old golfer competing in tournament stroke play.

When Kehoe joined the Spartans this school year, Michigan State head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll said she was thrilled to see the Strathroy native “join our family. Taylor comes to us after gaining experience while playing at Alabama in a very competitive (SEC) conference. She not only had extensive experience as a junior but won several events and had the opportunity to represent her country during international play. (She’s) a terrific young woman.”

Daughter of Mike and Elisha Kehoe of Strathroy, Taylor first swung a golf club at age 6 and played her early rounds at Strathroy’s Bear Creek Golf and Country Club (now Willow Tree Golf), and at Caradoc Sands Golf Club.

As a youngster, Kehoe chose to play provincial and AJGA events instead of competing on the Junior Tyson Tour. In 2018, she won the Future Links Ontario Championship and, at age 14, finished runner-up at the Ontario Junior Girls Championship.

The next year was a coming out party for Kehoe, who again finished second at the Ontario Junior Girls event while winning two notable tournaments: the 2019 AJGA Dana Incorporated Junior Open, and the 2019 AJGA Pinehurst Junior. She also finished a respectable 12th at the 2019 Dixie Amateur.

Picking up where she left off, Kehoe assembled a 2020 golf season which put her on the radar of Golf Canada in their selection of their national amateur squad. She captured the AJGA’s Junior at Knollwood and Randy Wise Junior Open tournaments, and was a quarterfinalist at the 2020 Women’s Western Amateur Championship.

During her rookie campaign as a member of Team Canada’s amateur squad in 2021, the Strathroy District Collegiate Institute graduate won the AJGA Junior at 12 Oaks championship, and finished 13th at the prestigious Women’s Porter Cup.

As Kehoe honed her skills on the links during summer 2022 as she prepared for her rookie season with the Crimson Tide, she captured the prestigious Alice Dye division for girls at the Dye Junior Invitational, held at the always-challenging Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana. She posted rounds of 70-73-74–217 (+1) from 6,399 yards to beat defending-champion Leigh Chien of Irvine, California by three strokes. Over the three-day tourney, Kehoe amassed 10 birdies and 33 pars and led after both rounds one and two.

During her freshman season with Alabama, Kehoe couldn’t say enough good things about the Crimson Tide program.

“I really like my coaches, which makes a big difference. Alabama has one of best U.S. college golf programs, and I am very happy with my decision to study here. And having a team to practice with and play with, and to do things with other than golf, has been great – competing as part of a team has been different and great experience. Our facilities here are great, too. The support you receive as an athlete at Alabama – you can’t get this anywhere else,” Kehoe said.

Kehoe played in 10 of Alabama’s 11 events during her first year with the Crimson Tide in 2022-23 and then played in all four tournaments during the 2023 fall season. In the fall 2023 season, Kehoe posted three top-20 finishes and concluded the season with a 71.25 scoring average, second-best on the team.

As a freshman during the 2022-23 season, Kehoe posted a 75.43 scoring average and a +3.16 average vs. par. She carded five rounds of par or better, which ranked fourth on the team, and posted a pair of top-20 finishes. Kehoe was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week on Oct. 20, 2022 after tying for fifth at The Ally, posting a 1-over-par 217 (72-74–71), her best performance of the year.

Kehoe excelled in the classroom, too, and was a Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar in 2023, and was selected to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.

Despite Kehoe’s glowing report on Alabama, things changed. With a desire for a fresh start, and wishing to play golf and study closer to home, Kehoe left the Crimson Tide – and their shiny new $47-million golf training facility – and moved to East Lansing, Michigan where again she has fallen in love with collegiate golf.

“I would say Michigan State is right up there with all of the SECs (programs),” Kehoe said during a recent interview. “I think it’s better in a lot of aspects, especially from what I had when I was at Alabama. I know (Alabama) has a new facility now. But we have great facilities at Michigan State, and you can do everything that you need, and more.”

With the NCAA Championships around the corner, Kehoe said she can’t wait to tee it up in California.

“It was really exciting getting the chance to hold the Ticket Punched sign and know that we were advancing to play in the NCAA Championships. We played pretty well on the first day (at the Regional tournament) and that put us in a good position going into the final round. It was a long day (May 6) because of the weather but we battled and we’re advancing. I’m really excited and we can’t wait to play against the best in the country and to show that we’re one of them.

“This year overall has been a lot of fun,” Kehoe added. “We’ve got a great group here and it was an easy transition for me. I had a little bit of an up and down spring but things have really come together over the last few weeks and I’m really happy with where my game is at right now. I still think I can play better and I’m hoping this will continue for the next week in California.”

As for the Spartans’ chances of capturing the national title, said Kehoe, “We have a really strong team. I think we’re capable of it.”

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Award-winning writer and broadcaster Jeffrey Reed is Southwestern Ontario’s senior sports journalist. A London Sports Hall of Fame nominee, Reed has covered golf at every level since 1980, and penned the 2018-published book, The Canadian Seniors’ Golf Association, Celebrating 100 Years of Seniors Golf 1918-2018, now housed in the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum library. Reach him at jeff@londonontariogolf.com.