Golfers aiming to climb money list

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2000 | 10:33 a.m.

Will the real Edward Fryatt please stand up?

The one who made eight consecutive birdies during the second round of the Doral-Ryder Open, tying a PGA Tour record established by Bob Goalby in 1961.

The one who finished tied for seventh in his third tournament of the year.

The one who tied for third at the MCI Classic in April.

The one who has shown considerable promise his first full season on the PGA Tour.

"I've been struggling as of late," Fryatt said Tuesday morning at the TPC at Summerlin. "It has been a little bit of everything.

"I feel like I've been in a slump and am trying to practice as hard as I can and get back to the things that made me successful before. Only one guy seems to not hit a slump, and that guy is Tiger Woods. I'm just hoping to show up here and put on a good show."

"Here" is at the $4.25 million Invensys Classic. Fryatt teed off this afternoon at the Desert Inn in the first round of the tournament being played there, the TPC at Summerlin and Southern Highlands.

This would be a fitting place for the former UNLV first-team All-American to end his streak of six consecutive missed cuts that dates to August when Fryatt shot rounds of 75 and 69 at the Buick Open.

"At the PGA Championship, I missed the cut by one, went to Reno, missed a lot of putts then hit some bad shots at the Air Canada Championship, so things haven't been going well," Fryatt said.

To prepare for the Invensys Classic, Fryatt took last week off so he could play some practice rounds at Southern Highlands, a newly built course that is being used in the event for the first time.

In between practice, the Las Vegan found time to fix his back yard and install some ceiling fans in his house.

"The plan was for me to take the week off," Fryatt said. "I've had a chance to get in some good practice rounds.

"I enjoyed Southern Highlands. It has a beautiful clubhouse and a spectacular setting. I think the scores will be pretty low. There are some easy holes on the front nine so if you get past those, then you should have a good round."

Considering his recent struggles, Fryatt has still had a good year.

He enters the Invensys Classic with his PGA Tour card secured for next year. Fryatt is 70th on the money list, one spot ahead of former Rebel Chris Riley, with $590,585. The top 125 on the money list retain their cards for the following year.

After spending last year on the Buy.com tour, Fryatt has shown that he belongs on the PGA Tour, as evidenced by his results up until mid-August. Right before the string of missed cuts Fryatt tied for ninth at the International presented by Qwest.

"I have really enjoyed my rookie year," Fryatt said. "I have met a lot of great people, people that I used to watch on TV.

"It has all just gone by very fast. I've been having a lot of fun."

Fryatt hopes the fun will last through the weekend this time, and not end on Friday.

If the winds continue to blow as heavily as they did Tuesday, Fryatt should have an excellent chance. The 1993 Big West Conference champion has grown accustomed to playing in adverse weather.

"I've played out here a couple of years in the wind and I hope to take advantage of that," he said. "What it will come down to is who makes the most putts.

"I think my familiarity with reading the greens will help me."

Then maybe the real Edward Fryatt will make his return.