Payne Stewart facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Payne Stewart
Stewart in August 1998
Personal information
Full name	William Payne Stewart
Born	(1957-01-30)January 30, 1957 Springfield, Missouri, U.S.
Died	October 25, 1999(1999-10-25) (aged 42) over Mina, South Dakota, U.S.
Nationality	United States
Spouse	Tracey Ferguson ​ (m. 1982)​
Children	2
Career
College	Southern Methodist University, 1979
Turned professional	1979
Former tour(s)	PGA Tour Asia Golf Circuit
Professional wins	24
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	11
European Tour	4
Japan Golf Tour	1
PGA Tour of Australasia	1
Other	10
Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 3)
The Masters Tournament	T8: 1986
U.S. Open	Won: 1991, 1999
The Open Championship	2nd/T2: 1985, 1990
PGA Championship	Won: 1989
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame	2001
Byron Nelson Award	1989
Bob Jones Award	2014

William Payne Stewart (born January 30, 1957 – died October 25, 1999) was a famous American professional golfer. He won 11 events on the PGA Tour. This included three major championships, which are the biggest tournaments in golf. His last major win happened just a few months before he sadly passed away in a plane accident at age 42.

Stewart won his first major title at the 1989 PGA Championship. He then won the 1991 U.S. Open after a special playoff round against Scott Simpson. At the 1999 U.S. Open, Stewart won his third major title. He made a 15-foot putt on the very last hole to win by just one shot.

Payne Stewart was very popular with golf fans. They loved his unique and colorful clothes. He was known for having the largest wardrobe of any professional golfer. Photographers also loved him because of his fancy outfits. He often wore ivy caps and patterned pants. These pants were a mix between plus fours and knickerbockers. This style was a nod to old-fashioned golf uniforms. Stewart was also admired for his smooth and graceful golf swing.

Early Life and Golf Beginnings

Payne Stewart was born and grew up in Springfield, Missouri. He went to Greenwood Laboratory School there. For college, he played golf at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. He graduated in 1979.

Stewart met Tracey Ferguson in Kuala Lumpur in 1980. Tracey is the sister of Australian golfer Mike Ferguson. Payne and Tracey got married in November 1982.

Starting His Professional Golf Career

After college, Stewart didn't immediately get his PGA Tour card. So, he played on the Asia Golf Circuit for a couple of years. He won two tournaments in 1981, including the Indonesia Open. Later that year, he earned his PGA Tour card for 1982.

Stewart won his first PGA Tour title at the Quad Cities Open in 1982. This win was very special because it was the only time his father, Bill, saw him win. His father had played in the 1955 U.S. Open. He was the one who first taught Payne how to play golf.

In 1983, Stewart won his second PGA Tour event, the Walt Disney World Golf Classic. In 1985, he almost won The Open Championship, finishing just one shot behind the winner. He also had a close call at the Byron Nelson Golf Classic that year.

Stewart led the U.S. Open briefly in 1986. He finished tied for sixth place. Even though he didn't win a tournament in 1986, he had more top-10 finishes than any other player on the PGA Tour that year. He finished in the top 10 sixteen times!

In 1987, Stewart won the Hertz Bay Hill Classic in Orlando, Florida. This win was special because it was on his home course. His house was right next to the 12th hole. His total score of 264 is still a record for that tournament. After this win, Stewart gave his $108,000 prize money to a Florida hospital. He did this in memory of his father, who had passed away from cancer in 1985.

Winning Major Championships

In April 1989, Stewart won the MCI Heritage Golf Classic by five shots. This was his 18th top-10 finish since his last win in 1987. People started to see him as one of the best players who hadn't yet won a major championship.

Then, at the 1989 PGA Championship in August 1989, he won his first major title! He started the final round six shots behind the leader. But he played incredibly well, making up five shots in the last three holes to win by one stroke. He birdied four of his last five holes. After winning, Stewart said it was "a dream I've been trying to realize for a long time."

The next year, in 1990, Stewart won the MCI Heritage Golf Classic again. He was the first player to win it two years in a row. He won in a playoff against two other golfers. This was his first playoff win on the PGA Tour. He had lost all five of his previous playoffs in the 1980s. In May 1990, he won his second tournament of the year. Because of these wins, he reached his highest world ranking, number 3.

Stewart's second major title came at the 1991 U.S. Open. He won after an 18-hole playoff against Scott Simpson. Stewart was two shots behind with three holes left in the playoff. But he made a 20-foot birdie putt, and Simpson missed a short par putt. Stewart then won the playoff by two shots.

After that, Stewart won the 1991 Heineken Dutch Open by nine shots. He even shot a course record of 62 in one round. He also won the Hassan II Golf Trophy in Morocco in 1992 and 1993.

In 1993, Stewart shot a round of 63 at Royal St George's Golf Club in England. This tied the record for the lowest score in The Open Championship. In 1995, he won his first U.S. PGA Tour event in four years. He won the Shell Houston Open in a playoff.

At the 1998 U.S. Open, Stewart had a four-shot lead going into the final round. But he lost by one shot to Lee Janzen.

The next year, at the 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort, Stewart won his last major title. He famously made a 15-foot putt on the final hole to beat Phil Mickelson by one shot. Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh were also close to winning. Stewart said his strong religious belief helped him make that winning putt. There is a statue of Stewart at Pinehurst Resort, celebrating this famous putt.

At the time of his death, Stewart was one of the top money earners in golf history. He was also ranked in the top 10 golfers in the world. He had been in the top 10 for almost 250 weeks between 1986 and 1999. He often was the highest-ranked American player.

Playing for His Country

Stewart loved playing for the United States in the Ryder Cup. He played on five Ryder Cup teams (1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, and 1999). He also played for the U.S. on three World Cup teams. He was known for his strong love for the Ryder Cup. He once said, "On paper, they should be caddying for us," about his European opponents. The U.S. team won three times and tied once when he played.

In the 1999 Ryder Cup, Stewart showed great sportsmanship. He criticized fans who were bothering European player Colin Montgomerie. With the U.S. team already sure to win, Stewart gave Montgomerie his putt on the 18th hole. This meant Montgomerie won their individual match. Stewart said, "This game is about sportsmanship."

Stewart was a traditional golfer. He loved playing on links courses, which are common in places like Ireland. He became very popular in Ireland after playing on Irish courses to get ready for The Open Championship. After he passed away, a bronze statue of him was placed at Waterville Golf Links in County Kerry, Ireland.

Beyond Golf

For a long time, Stewart was sponsored by the National Football League (NFL). He would wear the team colors of the NFL team closest to where he was playing. This sponsorship ended in 1995.

Stewart even appeared on an episode of the TV show Home Improvement in 1998. He played himself in the episode.

He was also a musician! He played the harmonica in a blues rock band called Jake Trout and the Flounders. Other golfers were in the band too. They released an album called I Love to Play in 1998. The music video for the main song, a golf-themed parody, was even played on VH-1.

A Sad Loss and Lasting Legacy

On October 25, 1999, Payne Stewart died in a plane crash. He was flying from his home in Orlando, Florida, to Texas for a golf tournament. Investigators believe the plane lost air pressure, and everyone on board became unable to move. The plane kept flying on autopilot until it ran out of fuel and crashed in a field in South Dakota.

At the tournament that week, Stewart's friend, Stuart Appleby, organized a tribute. With Stewart's wife's permission, Appleby wore one of Payne's famous outfits. Most other golfers also wore "short pants" that day, just like Stewart often did.

Statue of Payne Stewart at Waterville Golf Links, Ireland

A memorial service was held for Stewart. Many famous golfers and friends attended, including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Jack Nicklaus.

Many things have been done to remember Payne Stewart. A part of Interstate 44 in his hometown of Springfield, Missouri, is now called the "Payne Stewart Memorial Highway." Streets in other cities have also been named after him.

In South Dakota, where the plane crashed, a memorial was created. It's a rock from the crash site with the victims' names and a Bible verse. The land around it was fenced off as a special place.

In 2000, the PGA Tour created the Payne Stewart Award. This award is given each year to a player who shows respect for golf's traditions. It also honors players who support charities and present themselves well. At Pinehurst No. 2, where he won his last U.S. Open, there's a bronze statue of him. At the 2014 U.S. Open, golfer Rickie Fowler wore plus fours and argyle socks to honor Stewart.

At the 2000 U.S. Open, more tributes were paid. Jack Nicklaus, a golf legend, asked for a moment of silence before his opening shot. Another golfer, Sergio García, also wore Stewart's trademark navy plus fours.

In 2009, the Payne Stewart Golf Club opened in Branson, Missouri. Each hole on the course is named after a moment in Stewart's life. In 2020, Tiger Woods designed a public golf course near Branson and named it Payne's Valley in Stewart's honor.

On the 10th anniversary of his death in 2009, Golf Channel showed a special program. It included interviews with his family and friends, and videos of his golf career.

Payne Stewart's Wins

PGA Tour Wins (11)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	Jul 18, 1982	Miller High Life QCO	66-71-68-63=268	−12	2 strokes	Brad Bryant, Pat McGowan
2	Oct 23, 1983	Walt Disney World Golf Classic	69-64-69-67=269	−19	2 strokes	Nick Faldo, Mark McCumber
3	Mar 15, 1987	Hertz Bay Hill Classic	69-67-63-65=264	−20	3 strokes	David Frost
4	Apr 16, 1989	MCI Heritage Golf Classic	65-67-67-69=268	−16	5 strokes	Kenny Perry
5	Aug 13, 1989	PGA Championship	74-66-69-67=276	−12	1 stroke	Andy Bean, Mike Reid, Curtis Strange
6	Apr 15, 1990	MCI Heritage Golf Classic (2)	70-69-66-71=276	−8	Playoff	Steve Jones, Larry Mize
7	May 6, 1990	GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic	67-68-67=202*	−8	2 strokes	Lanny Wadkins
8	Jun 17, 1991	U.S. Open	67-70-73-72=282	−6	Playoff	Scott Simpson
9	Apr 30, 1995	Shell Houston Open	73-65-70-68=276	−12	Playoff	Scott Hoch
10	Feb 7, 1999	AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am	69-64-73=206*	−10	1 stroke	Frank Lickliter
11	Jun 20, 1999	U.S. Open (2)	68-69-72-70=279	−1	1 stroke	Phil Mickelson

*Note: Tournament shortened to 54 holes due to weather.

European Tour Wins (4)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	Aug 13, 1989	PGA Championship	74-66-69-67=276	−12	1 stroke	Andy Bean, Mike Reid, Curtis Strange
2	Jun 17, 1991	U.S. Open	67-70-73-72=282	−6	Playoff	Scott Simpson
3	Jul 28, 1991	Heineken Dutch Open	67-68-62-70=267	−21	9 strokes	Per-Ulrik Johansson, Bernhard Langer
4	Jun 20, 1999	U.S. Open (2)	68-69-72-70=279	−1	1 stroke	Phil Mickelson

Other Wins (9)

• 1981 Indian Open
• 1981 Indonesia Open
• 1982 Resch's Pilsner Tweed Classic
• 1982 Magnolia Classic
• 1987 Fred Meyer Challenge (with Isao Aoki)
• 1990 World Cup Individual Trophy
• 1991, 1992, 1993 Skins Game
• 1992, 1993 Hassan II Golf Trophy

Major Championship Wins (3)

Year	Championship	54 holes	Winning score	Margin	Runner(s)-up
1989	PGA Championship	6 shot deficit	−12 (74-66-69-67=276)	1 stroke	Andy Bean, Mike Reid, Curtis Strange
1991	U.S. Open	Tied for lead	−6 (67-70-73-72=282)	Playoff1	Scott Simpson
1999	U.S. Open (2)	1 shot lead	−1 (68-69-72-70=279)	1 stroke	Phil Mickelson

¹Defeated Simpson in an 18-hole playoff – Stewart 75 (+3), Simpson 77 (+5).

Team Appearances for the U.S.

Professional

• Four Tours World Championship: 1986, 1987 (winners), 1989 (winners), 1990
• Ryder Cup: 1987, 1989 (tied), 1991 (winners), 1993 (winners), 1999 (winners)
• World Cup: 1987, 1990
• Alfred Dunhill Cup: 1993, 1999
• Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (representing PGA Tour): 1996 (winners)

Images for kids

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  Stewart in August 1998

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  Statue of Payne Stewart at Waterville Golf Links, Ireland