Seth Bishop, the All-American golfer who has been a team leader the last four seasons with The Master's men's golf, has had his season and his career come to an end at the 2026 NAIA Men's Golf National Championships in Silvis, Ill.
A top-15 finisher last season in the national championship to earn the automatic qualifier, Bishop struggled with a 2-round total of 12-over 152Â on the Par-70 TPC Deere Run course to miss the cut.
Players on the top 15 teams and ties, plus the top six individual players not affiliated with a team, made the cut. TMU's men's team did not qualify to be one of the 29 teams in the competition, and Bishop had eight other individual golfers finish ahead of him.
"I had a lot of fun," Bishop said after his second round. "But it wasn't quite what I was wanting. Coming into the week I had higher hopes for the week, results wise, but it is what it is. The Lord is not at all surprised by the result I had this week. So I'm completely content with how it all wrapped up. But the competitor in me wishes it went a little bit better. I definitely didn't have my 'A' game."
This was the third national championship Bishop has competed in as he was part of the national runner-up team from 2023 during his freshman year and last year's team that also made it to TPC Deere Run. The highlight of his rounds this year came on day one when he had three birdies, including playing the front nine in 1-under 33.
"Tuesday he got off to a really bad start and it cost him some shots," Head Coach Luke Brueckner said of Bishop starting round one on hole No. 10. "But he battled back really well (on the front nine), and it could have been even better. But in the second round, you could tell he just didn't have his best stuff. The conditions were tough with the wind blowing, but it was just one of those days where he just couldn't get anything going."
Coach Brueckner walked side-by-side with Bishop through all 36 holes as his caddy.
"I had such a blast with Luke on the bag," Bishop said. "The only coach in my four years at Master's University that was there the entire time. Luke stuck true with me. Having him there on the 18th green to hug me in a very emotional moment was very sweet. It felt like a very full-circle moment for me, going from the highs of almost winning a national championship my freshman year, which didn't even feel that long ago, to being in the national championship my senior year. I'm just so blessed to be able to represent The Master's University over my collegiate career."
Bishop announced after his round that he will come back to be with the men's golf team as an assistant coach next year while going to graduate school to get his MBA.
"I'll be working alongside Luke to help get the team back to the national championship, just in a different way as a coach," Bishop said. "I'm extremely excited for next year. It will be a little different for me but still a lot of fun."
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