It is remarkable that 25 years have now passed – October 25th, 1999 – when Payne Stewart and five others tragically lost their lives.

There is sadness in everyone’s life losing a loved-one or a close friend but when it comes to losing those with whom you have met in the course of your work and also with whom you had estabished a warm rapport and friendship then it kind of makes it all a little different. Akin to losing a member of your family.

That’s what I have always said about working in golf, as those you meet week-in and week-out over the course of working on the main pro golf tours are like family. Whether it be a player, a caddy, an official or a fellow journalist.  You first develop a rapport that leads to trust and in my own very fortunate case, to so many friendships.

The now famed stature of Payne Stewart in front of the Pinehurst clubhouse where in June 1999, and some four months before his passing, he famously punched the air in holing the winning US Open putt.  Image Youline.

Those days of such sadness included losing Aussie-born great Peter Thomson, who I had visited on a few very special occasions in his later years when he would extend an invitation to come enjoy a cuppa when he and his wife visited St. Andrews.  There was younger players who left this world far too early that I had a great relationship, such as the likes of Scotland’s Gordon Brand Jnr who passed away just a few years back.

We lost also many golf journalist colleagues with whom I had become very friendly and none better than Scotland’s Dougie Lowe, and Dougie being out in Australia early one year for a co-sanctinoed event and always commencing each day with a splash in the Pacific. There were others and the likes of Dai Davies who everytime he greeted me he would say: “Gggg Day” and trying to sound Aussie in saying: “G’Day”.  Travelling in the later Volvo Masters years I’d miss not meeting-up with the duo of Spanish-based friends Eamon Powell and Jeff Kelly.  There was other fine journalists such as Mel Webb, Bill Blighton, Italy’s dear Maria Pia Gennero and then more recently Tim Rosaforte was no longer at a PGA Tour event while legendary Renton Laidlaw, himself a regular visitor ‘down under’,  has passed on so too has Jock MacVicar, who seemed he would go on forever reporting on golf.

Though there was no more ‘golf related’ emotional occasion for me than Saturday the 7th May, 2011, being  present in Barcelona to report on the Open de Spanish Open when we were left in total shock with news Seve Ballesteros had passed away.  It was an event Seve had captured three-times in his fabulous career while organisers delayed the commencement of the third round as players, caddies, officials, friends and just so many gathered to stand in tribute on the El Pratt practice range.

There was not a dry eye in all of Spain that Saturday.

The likes of Jose Maria Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez among many who stood in silence at the 2011 Open de Espania in memory of Sev. Image – GolfByTourMiss

The next week I was on the Spanish island of Majorca and when on the day prior to the commencement of the Iberdrola Open there was a minute’s silence in Seve’s memory while we watched on TV as so many of his fellow golfers, and led by an absolutely guttered Jose Maria Olazabal walked the streets of Pedrena behind an urn containing Seve’s ashes.

Five years later, and on the Sunday of the 2016 PGA Tour Championship we had left early for the long drive north from Atlanta to Minnesota ahead of the following week’s Ryder Cup at Hazeltine when news came over the car radio that Arnold Palmer had passed away.  That was a terrible shock and someone who I had shaken hands with on the occasions we attended ‘Arnies’ event in Orlando and who once introduced me to his dog – Mulligan!

Then upon arriving at Hazeltine golf course on the Monday and seeing Arnie’s golf bag on the opening tee, I thought to myself there is no way the home USA team were going to lose the Ryder Cup.

And there was the day – 25th October, 1999 – 25-years ago this Friday that brings me to my focus in remembering Payne Stewart when millions around the world watched the never-to-forget TV images of Stewart’s private Lear jet flying to inevitable tragedy some three hours later in a most remote part of rural South Dakota.

The aircraft had taken off around 9amish local time from Orlando in Florida and was bound for Houston, Texas, and the season-ending PGA Tour championship. Though no sooner was the plane into the flight and all was not well, as radio messages were being unanswered while US Air Force fighter jets were quicily launched and were now shadowing Stewart’s plane not only confirming no sign of life but ready to react should the plane begin falling from the sky.

A simple plaque in a grassy field outside of Mina, South Dakota to commemorate the lives lost on 25th October, 1999

Indeed, US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators concluded that the aircraft failed to pressurise and that all on board were incapacitated by hypoxia as the aircraft passed to the west of Gainesville, Florida.  We watched as Stewart’s jeg continued flying on autopilot until it ran out of fuel and crashed into a deserted field near Mina, South Dakota, a town of some 500 located to the south-east of Fargo.

Not only was the then aged 42-year-old Stewart killed but three close friends and two pilots, a male and a female pilot.

At that week’s tournament, The Tour Championship, Stewart’s Aussie-born good friend, Stuart Appleby,and who also tragically lost his wife Renay 14-months earlier in a freak London car accident, organized a tribute to his friend. With Stewart’s wife’s permission, he wore one of Payne’s own signature outfits for the final round of the tournament on Sunday, and most of the rest of the golfers in the field wore “short pants” that day, as well.

Stewart’s intended parking space at Champions Golf Club outside of Dallas had become a memorial full of flowers and notes plus hand-written notes and poems.

Payne Stewart’s intended parking place at the Colonial Country Club for the 1999 Tour Championship. Image Getty

The Texas tournament was then delayed on Saturday October 30th so as to allow those competing  to attend Stewart’s memorial service in Orlando. Speakers included Tracey Stewart, and comforted by her brother Mike Ferguson along with Paul Azinger while also present were the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Davis Love III, Hal Sutton, Justin Leonard, Fred Couples and so many others from golf and sport.

Woods was asked his memory of Stewart in attending the Tour Championship media centre ahead of the event and responded:  “Payne was a guy that, from what I have been told and I have also watched some of the reports on TV, that he was a very difficult person at times to be around. I never found that to be the case because when I came out, especially in the last year and a half when I really started to get to know him, he had gone through — I guess became more dedicated to his religion, and it changed his entire life. That is the Payne I knew. I knew Payne as a care-free guy who was nice to everybody open-hearted and loved to share and talk. That is the Payne that I will always have inside of me. That is the Payne I know”,

A year later, the PGA Tour created a now annual Payne Stewart Award that recognizes a player whose “values align with the character, charity and sportsmanship that Stewart showed”. This includes respect for the traditions of the game, commitment to uphold the game’s heritage of charitable support and professional and meticulous presentation of himself and the sport through his dress and conduct.

The trio of Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus shared the maiden honours in 2000.  Brandt Snedeker was this year’s 2024 winner though Tiger has yet to be honoured.

Payne Stewart memorial just outside of the clubhouse at Waterville Golf Links. During his preparations for multiple Open Championships, Stewart visited Waterville and quickly became an adopted son of both the town and club.

It goes without saying, Stewart was a very popular golfer with spectators, who responded enthusiastically to his distinctive clothing. He was reputed to have the biggest wardrobe of all professional golfers and was a favorite of photographers because of his flamboyant attire of ivy caps and patterned pants, which were a cross between plus fours and knickerbockers, a throwback to the once-commonplace golf “uniform”. Stewart was also admired for having one of the most gracefully fluid and stylish golf swings of the modern era.

Stewart’s golfing wardrobe also included a tuxedo shirt and bow tie that he once wore in playing the Par-3 Contest at Augusta National.

Payne Stewart in his tuxude-like attire playing the Augusta Par-3 Contest. Image – @bamabearcat

Good friend and colleague Alistair Tait recalls meeting Stewart when he contested the 1990 Scottish Open at Gleneagles, and among six appearances in the premier Scottish event. Alistair had lined-up an interview with Stewart to take place following Wednesday’s Pro-Am on the Kings Course. Alistair was at the back of the 18th waiting for Stewart when Nick Faldo, and playing two groups ahead, finished his round but given Faldo’s mood he was clearly not about to spend time signing autographs for a small group of kids waiting for him.  Faldo blanked everyone as he first headed to the scorer’s hut and then emerged ignored more requests as he made his way to the practice range.

Alistair takes-up what then transpired when Stewart ended his round: “Stewart came off the 18th green with a smile on his face as if he’d just spent 18 holes in a friendly bounce game with mates, and had taken the money. The children repeated their can we have a ball, a glove, an autograph chorus again for Stewart. He smiled at the children and said: “Just let me sign my scorecard and then I’ll sign autographs for everyone”.

The 1993 US Open at Baltusrol brings back memories for me as Stewart was being sponsored to wear NFL team theme attire though for this final day in New Jersey he chose to wear a Buffalo Bills top. He went into that last day a shot behind Lee Janzen.  However, the Bills must have been doing it tough back then as I recall in walking the course with that last pairing, and with each new hole they came to, there would be calls directed at Stewart, such as: “Why the heck is he wearing Bills gear?  They’re a bunch of losers” etc, etc.

In this image, Payne Stewart dressed in unmistable Redskins attire

Janzen eventually claimed the title won by two shots and relagating Stewart into second place in the championship for what was a first ocasion of two, as Janzen won the title five years later in San Francisco, and with Stewart again a shot shy.

The 1999 US Open was on my agenda and being to report at Pinehurst, a venue I had not previously travelled but looking forward so much to being present. Stewart reigned supreme capturing a third major championship and a second US Open in defeating Phil Mickelson by a shot. It was his 11th PGA Tour title though a last of 24 pro career titles following a maiden success in the 1981 Asian Tour’s Indian Open.

In winning at Pinehurst there was that ‘never forget’ moment when Stewart walked-up to the defeated Mickelson and placed his hands either side of his face and if to say:  “Phil?  You are a great player and your time willl come”.

The 1999 US Open was Mickelson’s then 28th major championship winless showing and there would be 19 more majors, including two further second place finishes at the game’s highest level, before Mickelson won a first of now six majors at the 2004 Masters. Though with six second place finishes, Mickelson never went one better to capture a US Open.

Stewart had been asked soon after his ’99 US Open triumph his thoughts on qualifying the up-coming Ryder Cup at Brookline, and in what would be a fifth appearance in the event, but also a first in three Ryder Cups since 1993.   Stewart’s response spoke volumes for the person that was Payne Stewart:

“Well, officially — well, I don’t know, I think I bring enthusiasm. I’m a very outspoken person. I’ve got a lot of energy. I think I bring some knowledge to the guys that are going to be on the team, such as David Duval, that are not going to be used to hearing people cheer when he misses a putt. And being able to prepare the guys on the team — I feel like I’m a rah-rah person. I’m going to — if I’m teamed up in whatever I’m playing in and I have a partner, boy, I’m going to be in his ear if he doesn’t want me to be in his ear, then I’m not going to be there. But I’m going to be very supportive. And I’m a very supportive person when I’m on a team”.

Payne Stewart and his Aussie-born wife, Tracey in winning the 1999 US Open Championship at Pinehurst. Image Reuters

Stewart had married an Australian woman named Tracey Ferguson, sister of Australian golfer Mike Ferguson, in Kuala Lumpur in 1980 while he was playing on the Asian Tour, and they were married by November 1982.  Earlier in 1982, Stewart won twice in Asia while four days after the first anniversary of his marriage in 1983 he won his only PGA of Australia sanctioned event.

However while Stewart soon made a name for himself on the PGA Tour circuit he was always a ‘travelling’ golfer and not prepared stay home in the States in the off-season.  It’s how I came to establish a relationship with Stewart albeit starting out in the late 1980s on my own golf-reporting career. I would ‘bump’ into him at Australian Tour events and then also at the majors and, I guess, it kind of helped that given his wife was also Australian-born.  They’re would also be a friendly ‘hello’ and comfortable access to him, if he was a story.

I recall the 1999 Dunhill Cup at St. Andrews and when the USA side were represented by former Open Champion, Tom Lehman, reigning Players Champion David Duval and Stewart.  It would be the penultimate hosting of the Dunhill Cup before being changed in 2001 to the present Dunhill Links Championship.

I had with me that week two 1999 US Open commemorative flags that I had purchased at Pinehurst and that when I approached Stewart at St. Andrews he gladly signed for me.

Payne Stewart signed commemorative 1999 US Open flag. And a signature I hasten to say, you can read,

Proudly, I still have the two flags and in starting this article I pulled them out of my cupboard, laid one of them out and looked closely at it looked it staring at a signature that you can read and thinking back to all those years, not just 25-years but at the time this ‘still wet behind the ears’ journalist was first starting out in my career in men’s pro golf.

I thought also that Payne was really one of a few non-Australian born major champions who would travel ‘Down Under’ over the PGA Tour off-season and one you could comfortably approach and, much like Alistair’s experience in 1990 at Gleneagles, who also acknowledged you with a handshake and a smile.

Now 25-years has passed since his passing and I again think to myself that Payne was another one of golf’s nicest guys who left us all too soon.

RIP Payne.