O-R Athlete of the Week: Sam Bishop, South Fayette
Name: Sam Bishop
Grade: Senior
School: South Fayette
Sport: Golf
Bishop’s week: On Thursday, Bishop was the first player out for South Fayette at the WPIAL Class 3A Championships and set a good pace. He shot a team-best 73 at Cedarbrook Golf Course in Belle Vernon and helped the Lions win their first district golf championship since 2005.
South Fayette shot 385 as a team to best North Allegheny and Fox Chapel by four shots.
“My fellow seniors on the team and I have been after this for four years,” Bishop said. “We made it to the championship my sophomore year and junior year. Sophomore year we weren’t close, but last year we only lost by three shots, so this year getting it done and beating North Allegheny, who we lost to last year, was definitely special.”
Bishop said he gets more nervous for team events compared to individual competitions, but it didn’t show in his score. He posted a one-over par round.
“I started off a little shaky but got it together on the fourth hole and was pretty much cruising for 10 holes,” Bishop said. I had a couple bogeys on the back half of the second nine, which was unfortunate. There were a couple bad breaks, but the round was solid.”
Bishop was the first Lions player to finish his round. He had to wait in the clubhouse as each score was posted before he knew the team won the title.
“When I finished on Thursday, I was super nervous for the guys, because I really didn’t know how they were doing,” Bishop said. “There wasn’t live scoring like you have for individual events. They had a big sheet in the clubhouse where they would post everyone’s score as they’d come in.”
Prior to Thursday’s final, the Lions had to qualify out of a semifinal and did so by finishing in first place by 13 shots at Duck Hollow Golf Course in Uniontown.
It was a rainy day, but Bishop and teammate Brady Newman shot 74 to lead South Fayette.
“We had been blessed with good weather this year, but those were the worst golf conditions I’ve played in for a while,” Bishop said. “The first few holes were great, but other than that I didn’t stop raining once. I was happy to get in the clubhouse and finish up my round.”
Looking forward to states: Bishop will be spending most of next week in State College. He and Newman are competing in the PIAA Class 3A individual championships Oct. 20-21 and the team championships Oct. 23. It’s the second time Bishop will compete in both events, which is the perfect way to end his high school career.
“Being able to play with one of my teammates and going up there on Monday and Tuesday is definitely something I’m looking forward to,” Bishop said. “We’re going to have a ton of fun and get a great experience playing in the team and individuals again. They have two courses up there the Blue and White and they alternate the courses every other year. I played a tournament up there on the Blue Course this summer, so I’m definitely familiar with the golf course.”
Close-knit group: Even when the South Fayette golf team isn’t on the course Bishop said he spends a lot of time with his teammates. He also enjoys going to church with his parents every Sunday.
“We have a very good friend group with our team,” Bishop said. “We hang out a bunch.”
Compiled by Jerin Steele