Sample Stories
Name: Christopher Redmon
Comments: My favorite memory of Payne Stewart. In 1994, I attended the Colonial Invitational for my first professional golf event. I was on the pathway from #1 green to #2 tee box. There were also about 20 to 30 people there, half of which were children. Payne was so extremely focused he didn't have time to acknowledge the crowd. As they walked by, his caddie dropped about 5-8 balls that Payne had already signed. This was the classiest move I have ever witnessed in professional sports. A man who knew he had a job to do on the golf course, but found a way to touch the hearts of his fans with a simple gesture. I will always remember Payne in three words: Professional, Selfless, and Patriotic. Today I am a Golf Club Professional and have seen many tournaments since the 1994 Colonial Invitational. That day will always be a snapshot of how a true gentleman and golf professional should portray oneself. Thanks Payne (WWJD)
Name: Peter Lenhart
State: Massachusetts
Comments: During the 1999 Ryder Cup matches, I was along the right side landing area of the fifth fairway. Payne was paired with Colin Montgomery that Sunday. Payne had slightly out driven Colin so Colin was to hit first. But before he addressed his ball, someone in the gallery yelled out "Tuna!". It was intended as an insult since, at the time, Colin closely resembled our local Pro team football coach, Bill Parcels. Anyway, Colin stopped play and was determined to find out who the heckler was. This took some time. Payne was very close to me and I could tell he was also irritated at the situation. After some time, during which Colin failed to find the heckler, Payne left his ball and walked all the way across the fairway and addressed the crowd with a very short sermon on sportsmanship. He was out of earshot but I gather that's what he told the crowd. Then Colin hit his ball stiff and Payne found the green but was about 30 feet away. Montgomery won the hole with a bird. Before Payne made his approach, I remember telling him,"C'mon Payne" "C'mon Panye". The interruption of play clearly benefitted Colin. And I was also at 18 when Payne gave Colin a 22 footer to halve the match. Seconds earlier Leonard had made his putt on 17 and we all had a great view of it on the jumbotron replay. He will be sorely missed.
Name: Andy Heafner
State: Missouri
Comments: I had the pleasure of meeting Payne at the Golf Clubmakers Association annual meeting in Austin, TX, Payne was the guest speaker for the banquet. He shared many of his stories from his career from his high school days, meeting his wife, and his days on the tour. He had everyone in the hall laughing at the stories about being on the tour. The part that really impressed me was after his presentation was over and he was in the lobby of the hotel. He noticed me with a camera and asked if I would like to have a picture taken with him. I told him that I had really wanted to get a picture of him with my son, but that my son had went back to our room. Someone mentioned that his limo was outside to take him to the airport, however he said they could wait and told me to call my room to have my son come down. We took a picture of the three of us, and Payne kept talking to my son, asking him questions and signing his name tag from the banquet. We talked for a while as my son is around the same age as his. We still have the picture of the three of us hanging in our house, and my son still tells his story to his friends when they see it. Thanks Andy Heafner
Name: Mike Gaudette
State: Illinois
Story: My moment "in the spotlight" came when Harry Weber chose a photograph I took to be the basis for the statue that is placed at the Missouri Hall of Fame. While I am proud of having known Payne from a fan standpoint, the picture I took was meant only to prompt pleasant memories that my wife and I had of the times we spent with Payne and Mike Hicks while attending PGA tournaments. We will never forget the conversations we had with Payne and Mike and will always cherish the photographs and memories we have.
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(Posted as submitted)
Name: Bernhard Hoerl
Country: Austria
Story:
I was starting my golf if I see the most emotional US Open in Pinehurst it was so amazing to see the victory from Payne a year before in the Olympic golf club he was so hard to see that Lee Janze win at the last hole so I wish that he to not the same in Pinehurst I be one of the biggest fans from Payne I the big events I play in the style from Payne I have the winning patter from see more and I look in eBay where I can become some things from Payne when I read the book from Tracey I play the best golf it is the spirit from Payne so I will come and play on the Payne Stewart course put I live in Austria an it is a long way to go maybe I will see so I wish all the best Bernhard from Austria.
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Name: Becky Van Scyoc
State: Nebraska
Story: April 13, 2006 I became the guardian of a 2-month-old infant boy who had been abandoned by his young mother. I, myself, could not have children and knew he was a blessing and started to process to adopt him. His name was Payne Augusta Phillip. Named after the wonderful man Payne Stewart. Augusta National and my best friend. I lost in court and he was returned to his mother July 2, 2007. The world lost one Payne, I lost mine. I love and miss them both each day.
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Name: David Freund
Story: It was a Thanksgiving weekend and Payne was making an appearance at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield. I took my five-year-old son, Alex who loved golf and was a fan of Payne. We arrived late and we were the last to meet him. He treated Alex as if he was his own son. The memory will never be forgotten. One of the hardest things I ever had to do was to tell my son on that tragic day that his hero had died. Sitting at my desk the next day, I hid my tears from others. Ironic is a strange word.
Dave Freund
Learjet Employee
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Name: Mike Biggs
State: Missouri
Story: I watched Payne mature as a player and as a human being throughout his short, but memorable career. I have felt a special bond with him, as he and I were both born in 1957. From watching him in the 1984 Byron Nelson to witnessing his two skins game victories in 1991 & 1993, I watched Payne mature and grow into one of the most respected golfers on tour. I will never forget the day he was taken from us, we lost a great golfer and a true family man that I will admire forever.
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Name: Michael Allen
State: Missouri
Story: Playing Golf with Payne Stewart
My memories of the first time I met Payne Stewart are something I will never forget. I was playing high school golf for Logan-Rogersville High School and our team was playing in the 1973 spring SMSU relays in Springfield, MO. When I arrived at Grandview Golf Course (later renamed Bill and Payne Stewart Golf Course), Gary Reynolds, my coach, told me I was paired with a stand out golfer from Greenwood High School, Payne Stewart. Of course, I was thinking I could take this guy, after all I was a senior and he was just a sophomore. I also remember it was kind of cool and rainy with a bit of a breeze blowing around, not exactly great conditions for golf.
Our tee time arrived and on the first tee Payne comes walking up to me and says, "Hello, I'm Payne Stewart." I shake hands with him and immediately I can sense the tremendous confidence that surrounded him. Payne tees it up first and just nails it straight down the fairway. The effortless swing with very powerful results was there even at his young age. I was in complete awe of his game. His irons were crisp, clean and accurate. He didn't miss very many shots that day for sure. Even the cool weather didn't seem to affect him and his shots had this almost magical quality to them.
I remember one hole clearly, number 13 at Grandview, it was a par 4, but back then the green was up by the fairway bunker and played about 270 yards, very tight and short, but it was playing into the prevailing wind and rain that day. Payne's drive on that hole was the most pure shot I believe I have ever seen, straight as an arrow and flying on the green for an eagle try. With that one shot, I realized right then and there this guy was something very special. Watching this future golf great play an easy round of 72 is something I will never forget and he finished 2nd but his team did win the SMSU relay event. Oh yeah, I believe I shot about 85 or something like that, but I can tell you this, Payne never made me feel pressured or anything about how bad I was playing. He was just a true gentleman all day long.
Now, let's fast forward to about 1994 or 1995. I had followed Payne's career, like many have in Springfield, enjoying his victories and feeling the pain of his defeats. I also watched him learn and grow to become one of the best golfers in the world. One day I was out buying some golf items at Bass Pro Shop and I went around the corner and Payne Stewart was standing there. Without his trademark knickers and hat, Payne looks just like an ordinary type of guy. But I knew it was him and I took the chance to approach him. I said hello and told him we once played a high school match against each other in the SMSU relays. Payne replied, "Really? So did I win?" Of course he's smiling real big as he says this. I told him that he beat me like a drum and he had won me as a fan for life. He looked down at the merchandise in my hands, a sleeve of golf balls, a golf glove and this oversize, extra large, strange looking putter grip. Payne grabbed the putter grip out of my hand and starts holding it like he's putting. He said, "Man you might have just found the secret! Yeah, this is it, I can feel it!!! Payne was laughing and having a good time and so was I. Our chance meeting didn't last but a few minutes and I wished him luck with his game as he had been in a bit of a slump. He told me to keep plugging away at my golf game.
Those are the only times I had any contact with Payne Stewart, but I can tell you this, My family and I will never forget the class and character of the man and what he stood for in his life.
Michael Allen
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Name: Jon (JD) Davis
State: Missouri
Story: While working at the time as bag room attendant at Hickory Hills Country Club, we were allowed to go and play early in the day before the clubhouse opened. As I stepped onto number 7 tee, a cart pulled up behind me and there was Payne. He was not in his "traditional" garb that day, he was sporting sunglass, tee shirt, cut off jeans and flip flops as I recall. He asked me if we could finish the front together, my answer was probably something like um, YEAH! Well we both carded pars on 7, Payne birdied 8 while I scored another par and we both scored par on 9. At the end of my 9, it was time for me to start work for the day and had to quit. But what a memory, three holes with a then living legend, Payne Stewart.
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Name: Ryan Odle
State: Missouri
Story: My most memorable moment of Payne Stewart happen when I was four. My dad and I went to an exhibition match that Payne was playing in before the very first Ben Hogan Open in Springfield. On the 18th hole, after putting out, Payne took the ball out of the hole and tossed it in my direction. My father bent down behind me to make sure he would get it if I was to miss, but instead a guy jumped in front of me and grabbed the ball. Payne walked over and told the guy that he would sign whatever he wanted but the ball was for the kid. The guy handed over the ball Payne signed it for me and gave it to me.
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Name: Paul Weatherly
State: Missouri
Story: I attended Jasper High School in Jasper, MO. Payne Stewart was a four year starting quarterback for Greenwood High School in Springfield, MO. Greenwood was in our conference and Payne played twice at our field in the 70's...and I do believe a picture of him is in one of our High School Yearbooks. We are investigating. It would be fun to have a picture of him for the clubhouse. I later followed Payne at the '91 US OPEN at Hazeltine, MN. Payne won on a Monday playoff against '87 US Open Champion, Scott Simpson.
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