Defending WM Phoenix Open champ Nick Taylor as a college golf coach? Maybe down the road

USA Today

05-02-2025

Defending WM Phoenix Open champ Nick Taylor as a college golf coach? Maybe down the road
Nick Taylor is a five-time winner on the PGA Tour, and his week, he's defending his title at the WM Phoenix Open.
However, when his professional days are over, it seems like he has his eyes set on another career: coaching college golf.
"I think when I've answered that question, I had such an amazing experience when I went to University of Washington with Matt Thurmond as my golf coach and just how he impacted everyone on our team, how we became more mature on the golf course, off the golf course," Taylor said. "We had so much fun when we were there, that my experience was so good that I think I always thought if playing didn't turn out, that was something that I wanted to do and try to have that impact on younger generation players that he did on me."
Thurmond, now the coach at Arizona State, has one of his current players in the field this week, Josele Ballester, the 2024 U.S. Amateur champion.
For Taylor, he's already laying the groundwork for helping the next generation while competing on the PGA Tour.
"I have a little involvement with the University of the Fraser Valley, which is back in my hometown of Abbotsford, throughout the year, but it's something I'd definitely be interested in," he said about coaching.
"But right now, I'll keep playing as much as I can."