North Carolina's Bryan Thrift, the runner-up in the season-opening event at Texas' Lake Travis, was honored Monday as the FLW Tour's Rookie of the Year (ROY). He received $1,000 and a year's supply of laundry detergent from Gain, the sponsor of the award.
“That’s ultimately what every rookie wants,” Thrift said of his honor. “You only get one shot at it.”
The race was extremely tight at the top. Thrift finished with 813 points to edge Kentucky's Jon Devere (809) and South Carolina's Michael Murphy (807). Tennessee's Ott DeFoe (775) and Arizona's Brett Hite (729) rounded out the Top 5.
Thrift is also a contender for the BassFan ROY, which encompasses anglers from both major tours.
