Jacob Bishop, a senior Wichita State golfer, said he fell in love with the sport as soon as he picked it up.

“I’ve tried just about every sport,” Bishop said. “Once I played golf, I kind of just fell in love with it.”

Bishop credits his dad with getting him into golf. He first started golfing competitively during his freshman year of highschool.

Despite his limited experience, Bishop worked hard to get to the D1 level.

Bishop said one of his teammates, Taylor Moore, served as his role model.

“Taylor Moore was, and still is, an unbelievable player,” Bishop said. “He played at Arkansas and he is on the Web.com tour now. He was my role model and he pushed me to my limits.”

Alec Heinen, Bishop’s current roommate and former Shocker golfer, originally got Head Coach Grier Jones to watch Bishop play.

“When he came to watch me, I shot my lowest round of 63, and I guess that was good enough to bring me to Wichita State,” Bishop said.

“I really liked the plan he has for me here. I really liked what he was doing with the team and heard good things about how he coaches.”

Bishop was also recruited by UMKC, James Madison University, and the University of Oklahoma.

“The day after I verbally committed to WSU, the University of Oklahoma’s coach offered me to come play,” Bishop said. “I wanted to stay true to my commitment and be a Shocker.”

In his three seasons at WSU Bishop was named the 2015 MVC Newcomer of the Year and has been all-conference twice.

Bishop’s stroke average of 73.97 is the fourth-best at Wichita State.

“One of my goals I set was to average a scoring average of 71 [before graduating],” Bishop said.

His lowest ever score was a 63 in a non-college tournament, and his best college score is a 67.

Bishop said he tries to stay in the moment and keep the small things from getting to him while golfing.

“Any time I’m under pressure or I hit a bad shot, I just try to slow myself down and enjoy what I’m doing and have fun with it instead of putting expectations on myself,” Bishop said. “I focus on what I’m doing in the moment and not get ahead of myself or dwell on the past.”

Bishop said his goal for his last season at WSU is to make it to regionals and win the AAC.

“To win the American Conference will be a pretty big achievement for us moving into a new conference,” Bishop said. “It would be a good start for all the newcomers.”

Bishop said he thinks WSU’s move to The American will benefit to the golf team.

“The American has more competition,” Bishop said. “It’ll be nice getting out of the Midwest.”

Bishop said he plans to go pro after graduating with a sport management degree.

“I want to make it on the PGA Tour. I’m going to turn professional after I graduate,” Bishop said. “I want to become the number one player in the world.”

“That’s my dream.”