Who's who: Payne Stewart

  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Prince's GC, England
  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Terras da Comporta, Dunas
  • Monte Rei G&CC
  • Marco Simone GC (Italy); host of the Ryder Cup 2023
  • Pebble Beach host of the US Open; US Women's Open; Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • Marco Simone GC

Who's who: Payne Stewart

  • Name:

    William Payne Stewart
  • Country:

    USA
  • Lived:

    [1957-1999]. Born on Jan 30, 1957 in Springfield, Missouri. Died on Oct 25, 1999 near Mina, South Dakota (aged 42).
  • Original/Home Club:

  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer; course designer.
  • Turned Pro:

    1979

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (3). Ryder Cup player (1987, '89, '91, '93, '99). Total professional wins (24), including PGA Tour (11), European Tour (1) and Japan Tour (1). World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 2001).

Golf course design

Before his untimely death, Stewart was beginning to get involved in course design projects, including (but not limited to): Coyoye Hills (California, with Cal Olson).

Did you know?

Stewart graduated from the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas before becoming a PGA Tour player in 1982. Prior to earning his PGA Tour card he spent two years and recorded two wins on the Asian Tour. Throughout his successful career he was a fans' favourite, with his graceful swing, colourful and stylish golfwear and gentlemanly behaviour. Stewart tragically died at the age of 42 on Oct 25, 1999 in a plane crash near Aberdeen, South Dakota, the crash resulting from a depressurisation at altitude of the Learjet's cabin.

Top tournaments won by Payne Stewart

1999
Majors
279 (-1)
$625,000
USGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

279 (-1)

Prize money

$625,000

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Open (99th) (June 17-20). Second-placed Phil Mickelson (USA) finished 1 shot behind Stewart (USA), who won this event for the second time. Less than five months later Payne Stewart died in a plane crash. [No.2 Course, Pinehurst Resort, NC].

1999
America
206 (-10)
$504,000
AT&T

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

206 (-10)

Prize money

$504,000

Title sponsor

AT&T

Played as the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (Feb 4-7). Second-placed Frank Lickliter II (USA) finished 1 shot behind Stewart (USA), who recorded his tenth PGA Tour win. Event reduced to 54 holes due to bad weather. [Pebble Beach Links, Monterey Peninsula, CA. Earlier rounds also at: Poppy Hills GC and Spyglass Hill GC].

1995
America
276 (-12)
$252,000
Shell

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

276 (-12)

Prize money

$252,000

Title sponsor

Shell

Played as the Shell Houston Open (April 27-30). Payne Stewart (USA) beat Scott Hoch (USA) with a birdie at the first playoff hole. [Tournament course (known as TPC at The Woodlands), Woodlands CC, nr Houston, TX].

1993
America
9 skins
$280,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

9 skins

Prize money

$280,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Skins Game (Nov 27/28; four-man PGA Tour unofficial money event). Stewart (USA) won this event for the third straight year with a total of 9 skins worth $280,000. Second was Fred Couples (USA) 9 skins worth $260,000. Paul Azinger (USA) and Arnold Palmer (USA) were shut out with no skins. [Mountains course, Bighorn GC, Palm Desert, California].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

277 (-15)

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Hassan II Trophy (unofficial limited-field event). Second-placed Wayne Webster (RSA), Brian Claar (USA) and Dillard Pruitt (USA) finished 8 shots behind defending champion Stewart (USA). [Red course, Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

281 (-11)

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Hassan II Trophy (unofficial limited-field event). Stewart (USA) beat D.A. Weibring (USA) in a playoff. [Red course, Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco].

1992
America
6 skins
$220,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

6 skins

Prize money

$220,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Skins Game (Nov 28/29; four-man PGA Tour unofficial money event). Defending champion Stewart (USA) won with a total of 6 skins worth $220,000. Second was Fred Couples (USA) 8 skins worth $210,000. Third was Greg Norman (Aus) 4 skins worth $110,000. Tom Kite (USA) was shut out with no skins. [Mountains course, Bighorn GC, Palm Desert, California].

1991
Europe
267 (-21)
£83,330
Heineken

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

267 (-21)

Prize money

£83,330

Title sponsor

Heineken

Played as the Heineken Dutch Open (July 25-28). Second-placed Per-Ulrik Johansson (Swe) and Bernhard Langer (Ger) finished 9 shots behind Stewart (USA), who recorded his first and only European Tour win. [Noordwijkse GC, Noordwijk, Neth.].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

8 skins

Prize money

$260,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Skins Game (Nov 30-Dec 1; four-man PGA Tour unofficial money event). Stewart (USA) won with a total of 8 skins worth $260,000. Second was John Daly (USA) 7 skins worth $160,000. Third was defending champion Curtis Strange (USA) 3 skins worth $120,000. Jack Nicklaus (USA) was shut out with no skins. [Stadium (resort) course, PGA West, La Quinta, CA].

1991
Majors
282 (-6)
$235,000
USGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

282 (-6)

Prize money

$235,000

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Open (91st) (June 13-17). Stewart (USA) beat Scott Simpson (USA) in an 18-hole playoff: Stewart 75 (+3); Simpson 77 (+5). This was the first of Stewart's two US Open Championship wins. [Hazeltine National GC, Chaska, Minn.].

1990
America
202 (-8)
$180,000
GTE

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

202 (-8)

Prize money

$180,000

Title sponsor

GTE

Played as the GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic (May 3-6). Second-placed Lanny Wadkins (USA) finished 2 shots behind Stewart (USA). Reduced to 54 holes due to bad weather. [TPC course, Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas, Irving, nr Dallas, TX].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

271 (-17)

Prize money

$75,000

Title sponsor

Kraft

Played as the World Cup of Golf by Kraft General Foods (individual low score) (Nov 21-24). Payne Stewart (USA) won the International Trophy for best individual score in the World Cup of Golf. Team winners of the Cup: Bernhard Langer & Torsten Giedeon (Ger). [North/South course, Grand Cypress GC, Orlando, FL].

1990
America
276 (-8)
$180,000
MCI

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

276 (-8)

Prize money

$180,000

Title sponsor

MCI

Played as the MCI Heritage Classic (April 12-15). Defending champion Stewart (USA) beat Steve Jones (USA) and Larry Mize (USA) with a birdie at the second playoff hole. [Harbour Town Links, Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head, SC].

1989
America
268 (-16)
$144,000
MCI

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

268 (-16)

Prize money

$144,000

Title sponsor

MCI

Played as the MCI Heritage Classic (April 13-16). Second-placed Kenny Perry (USA) finished 5 shots behind Stewart (USA). [Harbour Town Links, Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head, SC].

1989
Majors
Kemper Lakes
276 (-12)
$200,000
PGA of America

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Venue

Kemper Lakes

Score

276 (-12)

Prize money

$200,000

Title sponsor

PGA of America

The US PGA Championship (71st) (Aug 10-13). Second-placed Andy Bean (USA), Mike Reid (USA) and Curtis Strange (USA) finished 1 shot behind first-time major championship winner Stewart (USA). [Kemper Lakes GC, Kildeer, nr Chicago, IL].

1989
Awards
69.485
n/a
PGA Tour

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Venue

Score

69.485

Prize money

n/a

Title sponsor

PGA Tour

Stewart (USA) won the PGA Tour Byron Nelson Award, recording the season's lowest scoring average (over a minimum of 50 rounds). Greg Norman (Aus) was second with 69.49; Tom Kite was third with 69.57.

1987
America
264 (-20)
$108,000
Hertz

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

264 (-20)

Prize money

$108,000

Title sponsor

Hertz

Played as the Hertz Bay Hill Classic (March 12-15). Second-placed David Frost (RSA) finished 3 shots behind Stewart (USA). [Bay Hill Club, Orlando, FL].

1983
America
269 (-19)
$72,000
Disney World

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

269 (-19)

Prize money

$72,000

Title sponsor

Disney World

Played as the Walt Disney World Golf Classic (Oct 19-23). Second-placed Nick Faldo (Eng) and Mark McCumber (USA) finished 2 shots behind Payne Stewart (USA), who recorded his second PGA Tour win. [Magnolia course, Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL. Earlier rounds also played on the Palm course].

1982
America
Oakwood CC, IL
268 (-12)
$36,000
Miller High-Life

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Venue

Oakwood CC, IL

Score

268 (-12)

Prize money

$36,000

Title sponsor

Miller High-Life

Played as the Miller High Life Quad Cities Open (July 15-18). Second-placed Brad Bryant (USA) and Pat McGowan (USA) finished 2 shots behind first-time PGA Tour winner Stewart (USA). [Oakwood CC, Coal Valley, Quad Cities, IL].

1982
America
Hattiesburg CC
270 (-10)
$13,500
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Venue

Hattiesburg CC

Score

270 (-10)

Prize money

$13,500

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Magnolia Classic (April 8-11; unofficial PGA Tour "satellite" event). Second-placed Jay Cudd (USA) and Bruce Douglass (USA) finished 3 shots behind Stewart (USA). [Hattiesburg CC, Hattiesburg, MS].

Category

Asia

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

283 (-5)

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Indonesian Open (April 2-5; Asian circuit event). Stewart (USA) beat Sukree Onsham (Thai), Chi-san Hsu (Taiw) and Tze-chung "T.C." Chen (Taiw) with a birdie at the first playoff hole. [Pondok Indah GC, South Jakarta, Indonesia].

Category

Asia

Winner (holder)

Stewart, Payne

Score

284 (-4)

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Indian Open. Second-placed Hsu Sheng-san (Taiw) and Ho Ming Chung (Taiw) finished 4 shots behind Stewart (USA). [Delhi GC, New Delhi, India].

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Tournaments

Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

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Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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