ARIZONA NEWS


PLAYERS OF THE YEAR


PLAYER OF THE YEAR


RSET DIVISI S BRYAN HOOPS


spinal surgery, Bryan Hoops came back strong in 2018, posting 10 top-five finishes, including another AGA major championship, to capture the Masters Division Player of the Year award. He was edged out by Adam Walicki in a close vote for Open Player of the Year. Hoops, 49, won his


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third Arizona Mid-Am and the San Tan Amateur, and finished second in the Northern Amateur by one shot. He also reached the quarterfinals of the Arizona Amateur, qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur for the 11th time and was medalist in local qualifying for the U.S. Open. For good measure,


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fter sitting out all of the previous year to recover from


2018 AGA


he advanced to the final stage of qualifying for the PGA Tour Champions. “I was completely happy


with the year,” said Hoops, who was AGA Player of the Year in 2005 and ’16. “Going from a wheelchair and therapy for six months just to be able to pick up a shampoo bottle and wash my hair was tough. “So to be able to


come back and play some pretty good golf certainly was gratifying. I didn’t expect a lot of the things I was able to do and I am very thankful for that.” Hoops underwent


surgery to repair three collapsed cervical vertebrae, an injury that occurred in his sleep. “They were old injuries


from my youth that caught up with me,” he said. “The vertebrae were worn down and had splintered and cracked. One night I rolled over and they just collapsed. “Just to be able to come


back and play was a real blessing, so to be able to win a few events and another award is pretty rewarding. It’s all good.”


PLAYER OF THE YEAR


R DIVISIO


OIN JEFF BENTON


the tradition of excellence it has established. Benton, 55, posted six


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top-five finishes, including two victories, to earn the Senior Division Player of the Year Award in 2018, one year after capturing that honor in the Masters Division. “Being a weekend golfer,


it’s hard to always play as well as you think you should,” Benton said. “But all things considered, it was a good year. I’m just trying to keep up with the kids.” Benton’s daughter, Kaylee,


who plays for the University of Arkansas, reached the


eff Benton comes from a golfing family and continues to hold up his part of


2018 AGA


semifinals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur and played in the U.S. Women’s Open in 2018. His two sons also were standout college golfers. The Arkansas native won


his division of the Northern Amateur and the Phoenix City Senior championship. He also took second in the Arizona Senior Stroke Play and Players Cup, was third in the Southern Amateur and tied for fourth in the Arizona Senior Open, conducted by the Southwest Section of the PGA. “There isn’t one part


of my game that is really exceptional,” he said. “The thing I am really good at is hitting fairways, and I hit it just far enough to be effective. I also get up and down pretty well, and those are all things you really need in AGA events because the competition is awesome. “In my division in


particular, it is really robust, and that’s what makes it fun because you know there are 12 or 15 guys who can win every event.”


PREVIEW 2019 | AZ GOLF Insider | 33


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