2016 SNGA Players of the Year
It was another big year for the Southern Nevada Golf Association, and several players rose to the top and earned the prestigious player of the year award. Among the winners was Edward Fryatt, a local Las Vegan who grew up in Las Vegas, played high school golf at Chaparral before becoming an All-American at UNLV. Fryatt also played the PGA Tour and won four international professional tournaments prior to earning back his amateur status.
Fryatt won several tournaments in 2016 but ultimately came up just short of his season goal of winning the Nevada State Match Play, the Nevada State Mid-Amateur and the Nevada State Amateur. Fryatt won both the match play and the mid-am, but lost by one shot to Stephen Sear at the Nevada State Amateur.
“Winning the player of the year is great but it wasn’t a goal of mine,” Fryatt said. “What it means to me is that I played very well throughout the year and it’s very nice to win. The year had a lot of bright spots but I will always remember coming up one shot short of my ultimate goal.”
John Turk, a former Air Force fighter pilot, won the senior division player of the year. Turk made it his goal to play in enough tournaments in 2016 to win the award and accomplished his stated mission. Playing in the SNGA has helped fill the adrenalin void he experienced as a pilot. Turk won six of the 15 tournaments he played in last season.
“Let me tell you the difference between golf and flying,” Turk said just prior to accepting his honor. “I was flying at Mach 2 speeds and making decisions 20 to 100 miles ahead of me. Do you think I really care about a four-foot putt? There’s no pressure in a four-foot putt. It either goes in or it doesn’t. When you’re living on the edge flying every day, you get used to pressure situations. It takes the ultimate focus. It boils down to the ability to focus on the task at hand and stay disciplined, so in that sense the experience of flying definitely helps with golf.
“Playing in SNGA tournaments gets my competitive fire going.”
Frank Abbott continued his dominance of the Super Senior division by earning the player of the year award yet again. Abbott won an astounding 10 times in 2016 including the Southern Nevada Amateur, the Las Vegas Senior City Amateur, the Cascata Amateur, the Triple Crown Amateur and the SNGA Championship. It was the third-straight player of the year award for Abbott, who moved to Las Vegas from Seattle in 2013 when he retired.
In all, Abbott has played in more than 50 Super Senior SNGA tournaments and has finished 1st or second in all but one of them. That other time he finished 3rd.
“It’s been fun but it might be a little more difficult next year with some of the new young guys,” Abbott said. “Consistency has been the key to winning. Also, I remember the first SNGA tournament I played in was in 2013 at Cascata and it was the first time I ever shot my age, which at the time was 70. I have played in about 54 tournaments since and the key has been to show up and be ready when it is tournament time. I really enjoy playing with the other guys and I’m sure I play much better in tournament golf than I do playing a regular round.”
Abbott is an accomplished player who lost in the finals of the 2003 US Senior Amateur and appeared in 10 other USGA national amateur tournaments.
Kenneth Paul, Jr. was the net division player of the year. Paul won three times in 2016 and was the runner-up an additional four times. Paul, Jr. won the Clark County Amateur, a major in 2016. He also won the Nye County Amateur and the Black Mountain SNGA Tour event. He finished second in the Las Vegas City Amateur, another major.
Michael Campbell won the senior net division player of the year in his first-ever season playing in SNGA tournaments. Campbell moved to Las Vegas from Phoenix a few years ago and looked for a golf organization to play in and hasn’t looked back.
“Wow is all I can say,” Campbell said. “It’s been a fun year. We’ve had some tough weather in a few tournaments but overall it’s been a lot of fun. I’ve met a lot of new people and that’s been a plus as well. Also, there are great people in the organization and if anyone ever asked me, I would definitely recommend that they join the SNGA.”
John Kelley earned the Super Senior net division player of the year. Kelley won five tournaments in 2016 including the SNGA Championship and the Tournament of Champions.
