SNGA Cream Rises to Top with Annual Honorees

Another competitive and fun season is officially in the books for the Southern Nevada Golf Association. And, once again, the annual Player of the Year awards have been determined, with each honoree receiving their official recognition at the annual awards dinner held at Rio Secco Golf Club.

As most of you know reading this, the SNGA schedule of events includes something for everyone, from the scratch players in the championship division to the net players looking for a little competition and a lot of fun. Plus age-specific divisions in both net and gross tournaments are available to help the older players feel young again.

Leading the way for the 2015 SNGA Player of the Year award winners was Edward Fryatt, who has embraced his new-found amateur golf career after spending more than a decade playing professional golf. Fryatt, who grew up in Las Vegas and played golf at Chaparral High School then collegiately at UNLV, earned his amateur status back and played a full season of amateur golf in 2015 for the first time since his three years at UNLV in the early 1990s. He earned the Championship Division Player of the Year award.

Among the tournaments Fryatt won in 2015 were the Laughlin Amateur, the Nevada State Mid-Amateur and the Primm Amateur. Fryatt also represented the SNGA at the prestigious Pacific Coast Amateur along with 2014 SNGA Player of the Year Kenny Ebalo and Ryan McCullough, the low amateur at the 2014 Nevada Open.

“Honestly, winning the Player of the Year wasn’t even a goal of mine,” said Fryatt, a member of the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame. “My main goal was to earn enough points to represent the SNGA at the Pacific Coast Amateur. And as a result it helped propel me to the player of the year. The key, I guess, was to have smaller goals along the way. Just try and play my best and give my full attention to each shot in each individual tournament. When you do that, the rest just happens. That was always my approach when I was a pro trying to win tournaments or trying to move up the money list. Just do the small stuff better, hit more fairways, hit more greens, and the big stuff will take care of itself.”

The other 2015 SNGA Player of the Year honorees were:

Rob Zoine, net.

Gary Carpendale, senior.

Jim Licausi, senior net.

Frank Abbott, super senior.

Tom Richardson, super senior net.

Other distinguished honors went to:

Tom Kilmer, volunteer of the year.

Pacific Links, facility of the year for DragonRidge Country Club, Southern Highlands Golf Club and SouthShore Golf Club

Coyote Springs, member club of the year.

Jason Pomroy, professional of the year.

Las Vegas Review-Journal, media partner of the year.

“It was another year of terrific golf and for the growth of the SNGA on and off the course,” said Executive Director Ann Sunstrum. “We have a wonderful and dedicated board of directors plus an amazing group of volunteers and SNGA staff who work to make the tournament schedule possible. Plus we thank all of the players who support our tournaments. Congratulations to each Player of the Year honoree and we look forward to another terrific year in 2016.”