PAYNE STEWART GOLF CLUB GAME USED ORIGINAL VERY RARE SIGNED COA for Sale

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PAYNE STEWART GOLF CLUB GAME USED ORIGINAL VERY RARE SIGNED COA For Sale

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PAYNE STEWART GOLF CLUB GAME USED ORIGINAL VERY RARE SIGNED COA:
$2731.46

PAYNE STEWART SIGNED AND USED 1 IRON WITH CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY FROM MR. SHAW OF THE ZAHARIAS FOUNDATION WITH WHOM PAYNE STEWART DONATED THE ITEM.

PAYNE STEWARTPayne Stewart will be remembered for many achievements. But Stewart had one of the most stylish swings of the modern era. It was not the structured action of many of today’s players, but rather a long and wonderfully graceful and fluid movement.
Stewart’s clothes were as stylish as his swing. His outlandish plus-fours, tam and elegant outfits made him unmistakable on the course. “My father always said the easiest way to set yourself apart in a crowd is the way you dress,” said Stewart. Spectators responded enthusiastically to his colorful garb and the plus-fours and tam became a permanent part of his wardrobe.
After playing at Southern Methodist University and earning his degree, the Missouri native turned professional late in 1979, but failed to earn a PGA TOUR card at Qualifying School and instead ventured off to the Asian Tour, winning twice. It was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where Stewart met Australian Tracey Ferguson, who described the encounter as love at first sight and the couple married a short time later.
Quote"My father always said the easiest way to set yourself apart in a crowd is the way you dress."“I believe a lot in destiny,” Stewart explained. “There’s a reason those things happened, and the reason was so I could meet my wife.” Through all the peaks and valleys, Tracey was Payne’s constant support and companion as he built his legendary career.
Stewart began playing golf at age four, learning from his father, Bill, a former Missouri State Amateur champion. In 1982, Stewart finally earned his PGA TOUR card and won his first of 11 tour events with his father in the gallery. The victory was a milestone in his career, but grew in importance when it turned out to be the only time his father would see him win. Bill Stewart died of cancer in 1985.
“We had a good cry on the green,” recalled Stewart. “The 1982 Quad Cities will always be my most cherished victory.” When he won again, at the 1987 Bay Hill Invitational, Stewart donated his $108,000 winner’s check to the Florida Hospital Circle of Friends in memory of his father.
FACT
Payne Stewart donated his entire first-place check for winning the 1987 Bay Hill Invitational to an area hospital in memory of his father.
For all of his evident talent, Stewart had some hard-luck losses and earned the nickname from his tour colleagues as “Avis,” especially after four losses in sudden-death playoffs, but he shed that monicker in 1989 at the PGA Championship at Kemper Lakes near Chicago when he came from five strokes off the pace with nine holes to play to rally past a faltering Mike Reid.
Winning the PGA, Stewart said later, was not only a sweet triumph, but also a watershed moment in his career. He later went on to win the 1991 U.S. Open in a playoff against Scott Simpson and, after struggling for several years, he experienced a spiritual awakening, rededicating himself to his family and placing a different priority on golf.
Finding an inner peace, a victory at Pebble Beach jumpstarted his 1999 season, which culminated in his crowning achievement, a 15-foot par putt on the final hole to win the U.S. Open at storied Pinehurst No. 2 in a head-to-head battle with Phil Mickelson.
That victory secured a place for Stewart on the Ryder Cup team for the fifth time and the first since 1993. Competing for his country fueled Stewart’s competitive nature, yet he was the soul of sportsmanship, too, when he graciously conceded his singles match to Colin Montgomerie on the 18th green at Brookline C.C. after the U.S. had won.
On Oct. 25, 1999, Stewart’s life was tragically cut short in a private plane crash near Aberdeen, S. D. The words of respect and admiration for Stewart started soon after as word of his death spread.
“Payne Stewart assured himself a prominent place in the history of the game with a career that ended much too tragically and much too soon,” said Arnold Palmer. “He established an impressive record as a player and contributed so much more through his outgoing personality and generous spirit.”
On October 25, 1999, a chartered Learjet 35 was scheduled to fly from Orlando, Florida, to Dallas, Texas. Early in the flight, the aircraft, which was climbing to its assigned altitude on autopilot, quickly lost cabin pressure and all six on board were incapacitated due to hypoxia—a lack of oxygen. The aircraft continued climbing past its assigned altitude, then failed to make the westward turn toward Dallas over north Florida and continued on its northwestern course, flying over the southern and midwestern United States for almost four hours and 1,500 miles (2,400 km). The plane ran out of fuel over South Dakota and crashed into a field near Aberdeen after an uncontrolled descent.[1] The two pilots were Michael Kling and Stephanie Bellegarrigue. The four passengers on board were PGA golfer Payne Stewart; his agents, Van Ardan and Robert Fraley; and Bruce Borland, a golf architect with the Jack Nicklaus golf course design company.Contents1 Flight chronology1.1 Departure1.2 First interception1.3 Second interception1.4 Third interception and escort1.5 Crash2 Passengers and crew3 Investigation4 Aftermath5 Documentaries6 See also7 References8 External linksFlight chronologyNote: all times are presented in 24-hour format. Because the flight took place in both the Eastern time zone – Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) – and the Central Time zone – Central Daylight Time (CDT) – all times are given in this article in Coordinated Universal Time (which is indicated by the time followed by the letter Z)Departure
Projected (in green) and actual (in red) ground track of N47BA from departure in Orlando to Dallas and to crash site in South Dakota.On October 25, 1999, Learjet 35, registration N47BA,[2] operated by Sunjet Aviation of Sanford, Florida, departed Orlando International Airport (IATA: MCO, ICAO: KMCO) at 1319Z (0919 EDT) on a two-day, five-flight trip. Before departure, the aircraft had been fueled with 5,300 lb (2,400 kg) of Jet A, enough for 4 hours and 45 minutes of flight. On board were two pilots and four passengers.[1]
At 1327:13Z, the controller from the Jacksonville ARTCC instructed the pilot to climb and maintain flight level (FL) 390 (39,000 feet (11,900 m) above sea level). At 1327:18Z (0927:18 EDT), the pilot acknowledged the clearance by stating, "three nine zero bravo alpha." This was the last known radio transmission from the airplane, and occurred while the aircraft was passing through 23,000 feet (7,000 m). The next attempt to contact the aircraft occurred six minutes, 20 seconds later (14 minutes after departure), with the aircraft at 36,500 feet (11,100 m), and the controller's message went unacknowledged. The controller attempted to contact N47BA five more times in the next 4 1⁄2 minutes, again with no answer.[1]
First interceptionAbout 1454Z (now 0954 CDT due to the flight's crossing into the Central Time zone), a U.S. Air Force F-16 test pilot from the 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin AFB in western Florida, who happened to be in the air nearby, was directed by controllers to intercept N47BA. When the fighter was about 2,000 feet (600 m) from the Learjet, at an altitude of about 46,400 feet (14,100 m), the test pilot made two radio calls to N47BA but did not receive a response. The F-16 pilot made a visual inspection of the Lear, finding no visible damage to the airplane. Both engines were running, and the plane's red rotating anti-collision beacon was on (standard operation for aircraft in flight). The fighter pilot could not see inside the passenger section of the airplane because the windows seemed to be dark. Further, he stated that the entire right cockpit windshield was opaque, as if condensation or ice covered the inside. He also indicated that the left cockpit windshield was opaque, although several sections of the center of the windshield seemed to be only thinly covered by condensation or ice; a small rectangular section of the windshield was clear, with only a small section of the glare shield visible through this area. He did not see any flight control movement. At about 15:12 Z, the F-16 pilot concluded his inspection of N47BA and broke formation, proceeding to Scott AFB in southwestern Illinois.[1]
Second interceptionAt 1613Z, almost three hours into the flight of the unresponsive Learjet, two F-16s from the 138th Fighter Wing of the Oklahoma Air National Guard (ANG), flying under the call-sign "TULSA 13 flight", were directed by the Minneapolis ARTCC to intercept. The TULSA 13 lead pilot reported that he could not see any movement in the cockpit, that the windshield was dark and that he could not tell if the windshield was iced. A few minutes later, a TULSA 13 pilot reported, "We're not seeing anything inside, could be just a dark cockpit though...he is not reacting, moving or anything like that he should be able to have seen us by now." At 16:39 Z, TULSA 13 left to rendezvous with a tanker for refueling.[1]
The aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 48,900 feet (9.3 mi; 14.9 km).[1][3]
Third interception and escortAbout 16:50 Z, two F-16s from the 119th Wing of the North Dakota ANG with the identification "NODAK 32 flight" were directed to intercept N47BA. TULSA 13 flight also returned from refueling, and all four fighters maneuvered close to the Lear. The TULSA 13 lead pilot reported, "We've got two visuals on it. It's looking like the cockpit window is iced over and there's no displacement in any of the control surfaces as far as the ailerons or trims." About 17:01 Z, TULSA 13 flight returned to the tanker again, while NODAK 32 remained with N47BA.[1]
There was some speculation in the media that military jets were prepared to shoot down the Lear if it threatened to crash in a heavily populated area.[citation needed] Officials at the Pentagon strongly denied that possibility. Shooting down the plane "was never an option," Air Force spokesman Captain Joe Della Vedova said, "I don't know where that came from."[4]
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien authorized the Royal Canadian Air Force to shoot down the plane if it entered Canadian airspace without making contact. He writes in his 2018 memoirs, "The plane was heading toward the city of Winnipeg and the air traffic controllers feared that it would crash into the Manitoba capital. I was asked to give permission for the military to bring down the plane if that became necessary. With a heavy heart, I authorized the procedure. Shortly after I made my decision, I learned that the plane had crashed in South Dakota."[5] Chrétien relates that Stewart was "an excellent golfer, whom I knew and liked very much."
Crash
The crash's crater(from NTSB presentation)
Crash scene (from NTSB presentation)The Learjet's cockpit voice recorder (CVR), which was recovered from the wreckage, contained an audio recording of the last 30 minutes of the flight (it was an older model which only recorded 30 minutes of audio; the aircraft was not equipped with a flight data recorder). At 1710:41Z, the Learjet's engines can be heard winding down, indicating that the plane's fuel had been exhausted. In addition, sounds of the stick shaker and the disconnection of the autopilot can be heard. With the engines powered down, the autopilot would have attempted to maintain altitude, causing the plane's airspeed to drop until it approached stall speed, at which point the stick shaker would have automatically engaged to warn the pilot and the autopilot would have switched itself off.[1]
At 1711:01Z, the Lear began a right turn and descent. NODAK 32 remained to the west, while TULSA 13 broke away from the tanker and followed N47BA down. At 1711:26 CDT, the NODAK 32 lead pilot reported, "The target is descending and he is doing multiple aileron rolls, looks like he's out of control...in a severe descent, request an emergency descent to follow target." The TULSA 13 pilot reported, "It's soon to impact the ground; he is in a descending spiral."[1]
Impact occurred approximately 1713Z, or 1213 local, after a total flight time of 3 hours, 54 minutes, with the aircraft hitting the ground at a nearly supersonic speed and an extreme angle.[6] The Learjet crashed in South Dakota, just outside Mina in Edmunds County, on relatively flat ground and left a crater 42 feet (13 m) long, 21 feet (6.4 m) wide, and 8 feet (2.4 m) deep. None of its components remained intact.[1]
Passengers and crewIn addition to Payne Stewart and three others, there were two pilots on board:
The 42-year-old captain, Michael Kling, held an airline transport pilot certificate and type ratings for the Boeing 707, Boeing 737, and Learjet 35. He also had Air Force experience flying the KC-135 and Boeing E-3 Sentry. Kling was also an instructor pilot on the KC-135E in the Maine Air National Guard. According to Sunjet Aviation records, the captain had accumulated a total of 4,280 hours of flight time (military and commercial) and had flown a total of 60 hours with Sunjet, 38 as a Learjet pilot-in-command and 22 as a Learjet second-in-command.[1]
The first officer, 27-year-old Stephanie Bellegarrigue, held a commercial pilot certificate and type ratings for Learjet and Cessna Citation 500. She was also a certified flight instructor. She had accumulated a total of 1,751 hours of flight time, of which 251 hours were with Sunjet Aviation as a second-in-command and 99 as a Learjet National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has several levels of investigation, of which the highest is a "major" investigation. Because of the extraordinary circumstances in this crash, a major investigation was performed.[7]
The NTSB determined that:
The probable cause of this accident was incapacitation of the flight crew members as a result of their failure to receive supplemental oxygen following a loss of cabin pressurization, for undetermined reasons.
The Board added a commentary regarding the possible reasons why the crew did not obtain supplemental oxygen:
Following the depressurization, the pilots did not receive supplemental oxygen in sufficient time and/or adequate concentration to avoid hypoxia and incapacitation. The wreckage indicated that the oxygen bottle pressure regulator/shutoff valve was open on the accident flight. Further, although one flight crew mask hose connector was found in the wreckage disconnected from its valve receptacle (the other connector was not recovered), damage to the recovered connector and both receptacles was consistent with both flight crew masks having been connected to the airplane's oxygen supply lines at the time of impact. In addition, both flight crew mask microphones were found plugged into their respective crew microphone jacks. Therefore, assuming the oxygen bottle contained an adequate supply of oxygen, supplemental oxygen should have been available to both pilots' oxygen masks.
[A] possible explanation for the failure of the pilots to receive emergency oxygen is that their ability to think and act decisively was impaired because of hypoxia before they could don their oxygen masks. No definitive evidence exists that indicates the rate at which the accident flight lost its cabin pressure; therefore, the Safety Board evaluated conditions of both rapid and gradual depressurization.
If there had been a breach in the fuselage (even a small one that could not be visually detected by the in-flight observers) or a seal failure, the cabin could have depressurized gradually, rapidly, or even explosively. Research has shown that a period of as little as 8 seconds without supplemental oxygen following rapid depressurization to about 30,000 feet (9,100 m) may cause a drop in oxygen saturation that can significantly impair cognitive functioning and increase the amount of time required to complete complex tasks.
A more gradual decompression could have resulted from other possible causes, such as a smaller leak in the pressure vessel or a closed flow control valve. Safety Board testing determined that a closed flow control valve would cause complete depressurization to the airplane's flight altitude over a period of several minutes. However, without supplemental oxygen, substantial adverse effects on cognitive and motor skills would have been expected soon after the first clear indication of decompression (the cabin altitude warning), when the cabin altitude reached 10,000 feet (3,000 m) (which could have occurred in about 30 seconds).
Investigations of other accidents in which flight crews attempted to diagnose a pressurization problem or initiate emergency pressurization instead of immediately donning oxygen masks following a cabin altitude alert have revealed that, even with a relatively gradual rate of depressurization, pilots have rapidly lost cognitive or motor abilities to effectively troubleshoot the problem or don their masks shortly thereafter. In this accident, the flight crew's failure to obtain supplemental oxygen in time to avoid incapacitation could be explained by a delay in donning oxygen masks; of only a few seconds in the case of an explosive or rapid decompression, or a slightly longer delay in the case of a gradual decompression.
In summary, the Safety Board was unable to determine why the flight crew could not, or did not, receive supplemental oxygen in sufficient time and/or adequate concentration to avoid hypoxia and incapacitation.[1]
The NTSB report showed that the plane had several instances of maintenance work related to cabin pressure in the months leading up to the accident. The NTSB was unable to determine whether they stemmed from a common problem – replacements and repairs were documented, but not the pilot discrepancy reports that prompted them or the frequency of such reports. The report criticised Sunjet Aviation for the possibility that this would have made the problem harder to identify, track, and resolve, as well as the fact that in at least one instance the plane was flown with an unauthorized maintenance deferral for cabin pressure problems.
AftermathStewart was ultimately headed to Houston for the 1999 Tour Championship, but planned a stop in Dallas for discussions with the athletic department of his alma mater, Southern Methodist University, about building a new home course for the school's golf program.[8] Stewart was memorialized at the Tour Championship with a lone bagpipe player playing at the first hole at Champions Golf Club prior to the beginning of the first day of play.
The owner of the crash site, after consulting the wives of Stewart and several other victims, created a memorial on about 1 acre (4,000 m2) of the site. At its center is a rock pulled from the site inscribed with the names of the victims and a Bible passage.[8]
The 2000 U.S. Open, held at Pebble Beach Golf Links, began with a golf version of a 21-gun salute when 21 of Stewart's fellow players simultaneously hit balls into the Pacific Ocean.[9]
In 2001, Stewart was posthumously inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
On June 8, 2005, a Florida state court jury in Orlando found that Learjet was not liable for the deaths of Stewart and his agents Robert Fraley and Van Ardan, who had also been aboard the plane.[10]
DocumentariesThe documentary series Mayday, also known by the titles Air Crash Investigation and Air Disasters, features this incident in the first episode of its 16th season. The episode, titled "Deadly Silence," was first aired on 7 June 2016.
See alsoBo Rein – another US sportsman who died in a similar aircraft accident2000 Australia Beechcraft King Air crashHelios Airways Flight 522
It was a cool morning in late October with a few puffy, white clouds in the sky. It would reach the middle-70s later in the afternoon. A light breeze made it a perfect day for golf, and flying. Michael Kling, a captain for Sunjet Aviation, came to work at 6:30 a.m. His first officer, Stephanie Bellegarrigue, arrived 15 minutes later. They inspected and fueled Learjet N47BA, loaded a cooler with ice and soft drinks on board and left Sanford, Fla., for Orlando International Airport at 7:54 a.m. to pick up passengers.
Payne Stewart and his wife, Tracey, were up early that morning, too. She had an appointment with a chiropractor and a meeting scheduled at the new house they were building in Isleworth. As he often did, Payne made pancakes for Tracey and his children, Chelsea and Aaron, before the three of them left for school around 7:30 a.m. The reigning U.S. Open champion and a member of the stunningly victorious U.S. Ryder Cup team, Stewart had angered some of his friends because he had backed out of a commitment to play in a fundraising event that day hosted by Arnold Palmer at Bay Hill. Instead, he was going to look at a potential golf course site near Dallas before going on to Houston for the Tour Championship.
Van Ardan, one of Payne's agents, picked him up just after 8 o'clock to go to the airport. The Learjet arrived about 8:10. Robert Fraley, another of Payne's agents, was dropped off at the airport by his wife, Dixie. Bruce Borland was a last-minute addition to the group. An architect in Jack Nicklaus' golf course design firm, Borland was anxious to work with Stewart on the new project and traveled up from North Palm Beach to join him on the trip.
The Learjet, with its two pilots and four passengers, took off from Orlando International at 9:19 a.m. After a series of altitude clearances, at 9:26 a.m. the pilot was instructed to change radio frequency and contact a Jacksonville controller who cleared the aircraft to climb to, and maintain, flight level 390 to Dallas. The response, "three nine zero bravo alpha," are the last known words to have been spoken on the airplane.
From that moment until 12:12 p.m. CDT, N47BA was first intercepted by an F-16 from the 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, then followed by two Oklahoma Air National Guard F-16s, joined by a pair of North Dakota Air National Guard F-16s. All reported the windows fogged or frozen and no sign of life. For nearly four hours, first in great confusion and then heartrending resignation, the saga played out on CNN as the Learjet porpoised through the air. Stuck in a climb, it bumped up against its maximum altitude of 48,900 feet, descended to a level where its engines functioned more efficiently and then climbed back to its apex over and over until it ran out of fuel.
William Payne Stewart (January 30, 1957 – October 25, 1999) was an American professional golfer who won eleven PGA Tour events, including three major championships in his career, the last of which occurred a few months before he died in an airplane accident at the age of 42.
Stewart gained his first major title at the 1989 PGA Championship. He won the 1991 U.S. Open after a playoff against Scott Simpson. At the 1999 U.S. Open Stewart captured his third major title after holing a 15-foot (5 m) par putt on the final hole for a one stroke victory.
Stewart was a 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.[2]Contents1 Early years2 Career2.1 Early professional career: 1981–19882.2 Major victories: 1989–19993 Death3.1 Legacy4 Professional wins (24)4.1 PGA Tour wins (11)4.2 European Tour wins (4)4.3 Japan Golf Tour wins (1)4.4 PGA Tour of Australasia wins (1)4.5 Asia Golf Circuit wins (2)4.6 Other wins (8)5 Major championships5.1 Wins (3)5.2 Results timeline5.3 Summary6 Results in The Players Championship7 U.S. national team appearances8 See also9 References10 External linksEarly yearsStewart was born and raised in Springfield, Missouri, and attended Greenwood Laboratory School, a K-12 school, on the campus of Missouri State University. He played collegiate golf at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta and graduated in 1979. Payne Stewart and Tracey Ferguson met each other in Kuala Lumpur in 1980 while he was playing on the Asia Golf Circuit.
CareerEarly professional career: 1981–1988Stewart failed to earn a PGA Tour card at Qualifying School in his graduation year, so he played on the Asia Golf Circuit for a couple of years. He won two tournaments in 1981, including the Indonesia Open in a playoff over three players.[3] Later that year, he earned his PGA Tour card for 1982 and won his first title on the tour at that year's Quad Cities Open. This win was especially memorable to him because it was the only time his father, Bill, saw him win. Stewart's father had played in the 1955 U.S. Open, and had introduced his son to the game.[4]
In 1983, Stewart gained his second PGA Tour victory by winning the Walt Disney World Golf Classic by two strokes. At the 1985 Byron Nelson Golf Classic, Stewart came to the 72nd hole with a three-shot lead. Moments after Bob Eastwood birdied the final hole of regulation, Stewart took a double bogey to end the tournament tied for first. Stewart then made another double bogey on the first playoff hole, causing him to lose to Eastwood.[5]
In 1985, Stewart came close to winning The Open Championship, when he finished one stroke behind the champion Sandy Lyle.
Stewart briefly led the U.S. Open in 1986 during the back-nine of the final round at Shinnecock Hills. After birdieing the 11th and 12th, Stewart took a one-shot lead, but he then had bogeys at the 13th and 14th, finishing the tournament tied for sixth place, behind the winner Raymond Floyd.[6]
Stewart had four runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour in 1986.[7] Despite not winning a tournament that year, he had the most top-10 finishes of any player on the PGA Tour in 1986, finishing inside the top-10 sixteen times.[8]
Stewart won the Hertz Bay Hill Classic in Orlando, Florida in 1987, shooting a third round of 63 and a final round of 65 to beat South African David Frost by three shots. The tournament was a two-man duel in the final round, as Frost finished eight shots ahead of the third-place finisher Dan Pohl. Stewart's victory was a memorable one to him as it came on his home course. His house was situated adjacent to the 12th tee of the Bay Hill Club course in Orlando, Florida.[9] Stewart's cumulative tournament score of 264 is, to date, still a record for the lowest aggregate score over 72 holes in the event, which later became known as the "Arnold Palmer Invitational" held at the same Bay Hill venue.
After his 1987 victory at Bay Hill, Stewart donated his $108,000 prize money to a Florida hospital in memory of his father, who died of cancer in 1985.[2]
Stewart had two runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour in 1988, at The Honda Classic and the Provident Classic.
Major victories: 1989–1999In April 1989, Stewart won the MCI Heritage Golf Classic by five strokes, with a then tournament-record score of 268, 16-under-par.[10] His victory at the Heritage Classic was his 18th top-10 finish on the PGA Tour since his previous win at the Bay Hill Classic in March 1987. Stewart was gaining a reputation for being one of the most consistent players on the PGA Tour[10] and one of the best players in the world not yet to have won a major championship at that point.
At Kemper Lakes Golf Club, Stewart won the PGA Championship in 1989, his first major title. At the start of the final round, Stewart was six shots behind the leader Mike Reid. He made up five strokes in the final three holes to overtake Reid and win by a stroke. Stewart's back-nine of 31 included birdies on four of his last five holes. He was able to gain the lead over Reid, who bogeyed the 16th, double-bogeyed the 17th, and missed a seven-foot (2 m) birdie putt on the 18th, which would have forced a playoff.[11] After the tournament, Stewart said: "This is a dream I've been trying to realize for a long time." Reid shed tears and said: "As disappointed as I am, I'm happy for Payne."[12]
The following year, Stewart became the first player to win back-to-back titles at the MCI Heritage Golf Classic at Harbour Town Golf Links, winning a playoff against Larry Mize and Steve Jones on the second extra hole with an 18-foot (5 m) birdie putt. This was his first playoff win on the PGA Tour, having lost all five of his playoffs in the 1980s.[13] In May 1990, Stewart won his second tournament of the year at the GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic. As a result of this victory and runner-up finishes at the Western Open and 1990 Open Championship Stewart reached his Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) peak of number 3 in the summer of 1990.[14] At the end of 1990, Stewart was ranked as the fifth-best golfer in the world on the OWGR.[15] Overall, Stewart spent nearly 250 weeks within the top 10 of the OWGR between 1986, the year the OWGR began, and 1999, the year of his death.[16]
Stewart's second major title came at the 1991 U.S. Open after an 18-hole Monday playoff with Scott Simpson on a windblown Hazeltine National Golf Club course in Minnesota. Stewart was two shots behind Simpson going into the final three holes of the playoff. After the 16th hole, the match was squared, as Stewart holed a 20-foot (6 m) birdie putt and Simpson missed a 3-foot (1 m) par putt. Stewart's par on the 18th hole won the playoff by two strokes.[17]
The following month, Stewart won the 1991 Heineken Dutch Open by nine shots, which included a course record of 62 in the third round.[18] Stewart won the Hassan II Golf Trophy in Morocco in 1992 and 1993.
In 1993 at Royal St George's Golf Club in England, Stewart's fourth round of 63 tied the record for the lowest individual round in The Open Championship. He was one of 10 players, until Branden Grace shot a 62 in 2017, to hold the record for shooting a 63 at the British Open.[19] In 1995, Stewart gained his first U.S. PGA Tour win in four years by winning the Shell Houston Open in a playoff over Scott Hoch, who lost a six-shot lead with seven holes to play. Hoch collapsed on the back-nine with three bogeys and a double-bogey on the 17th when his tee shot found water. Stewart won the playoff on the first extra hole.[20]
In the 1998 U.S. Open at Olympic Club in San Francisco, Stewart had a four-shot lead going into the final round, but lost to Lee Janzen by a stroke.[21] Stewart missed a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole of his final round, which would have forced a playoff with Janzen.[22]
The following year at the 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort, Stewart won his last major title, memorably holing a 15-foot par putt that defeated Phil Mickelson by a stroke in the final round when Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh were also in contention for the trophy. Stewart credited his winning putt to being more at peace with himself after his strengthened religious belief.[21] A statue of Stewart celebrates his winning putt behind the 18th green of the No. 2 course at Pinehurst Resort.[23][24]
At the time of his death, Stewart was ranked third on the all-time money list and in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking – he had been ranked in the top 10 for almost 250 weeks from 1986 to 1993, and again in 1999.[25] At a time of international domination of the golf scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was often the highest-ranked American player.
Stewart represented the United States on five Ryder Cup teams (1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, and 1999). He also played for the U.S. on three World Cup teams. His Ryder cup record was 8–9–2. Stewart was known for his patriotic passion for the Ryder Cup, once saying of his European opponents, "On paper, they should be caddying for us." The United States team was 3–1–1 during the five times he played.[26] He was disappointed to miss out in 1995 and 1997, when he failed to qualify automatically and was not chosen as a captain's pick. In the 1999 Ryder Cup, Stewart criticized the heckling of European player Colin Montgomerie. With victory assured for the United States, Stewart conceded a putt (and his own singles match) to Montgomerie on the 18th hole. "This game is about sportsmanship," Stewart said afterwards.[21]
Stewart was a golfing traditionalist, who once said: "In the United States, all we do is play the ball in the air."[27] He gained an affection for links golf, becoming a popular figure in Ireland after playing on Irish courses to warm up for The Open Championship. After he died in 1999, Waterville Golf Links in County Kerry, Ireland, commissioned a bronze statue of Stewart to pay tribute to him and his affiliation with Waterville.[28] Stewart historically played well in The Open Championship, finishing runner-up in 1985 and 1990. In general he was known to play well internationally, posting victories at the 1981 Indian Open, the 1981 Indonesia Open, and Japan Golf Tour's 1985 Jun Classic. He also played in international tournaments that were less obscure for American golfers, posting runner-ups at the 1982 Australian Open, 1989 German Masters, and the 1993 Scottish Open. He also won the 1991 Dutch Open.
For a large part of his career, Stewart was known for his National Football League (NFL) sponsorship, whereby he wore the team colors of the geographically closest NFL franchise;[29] the sponsorship ended in May 1995.[30]
Stewart appeared on an episode of the American television sitcom Home Improvement titled "Futile Attraction", which aired on March 10, 1998, and featured Stewart as himself.[31]
Stewart was also a musician, and played harmonica in the blues rock group Jake Trout and the Flounders, which also included fellow golfers Larry Rinker and Peter Jacobsen.[32] The band released one album, I Love to Play in 1998.[32] The music video for the title track, a golf-themed parody of Randy Newman's "I Love L.A.", earned rotation on VH-1.[33]
DeathMain article: 1999 South Dakota Learjet crashOn October 25, 1999, a month after the American team rallied to win the Ryder Cup and four months after his U.S. Open victory, Stewart was killed in the crash of a Learjet flying from his home in Orlando, Florida, to Texas for the year-ending tournament, The Tour Championship, held at Champions Golf Club in Houston. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators concluded that the aircraft failed to pressurize and that all on board died due to hypoxia as the aircraft passed to the west of Gainesville, Florida. The aircraft continued flying on autopilot until it ran out of fuel and crashed into a field near Mina, South Dakota.[34][35]
At the time of his death, Stewart had won $12,673,193 in career earnings. He won over $2 million during the 1999 season, and finished seventh on the year's money list.
LegacyAt that week's tournament, The Tour Championship, Stewart's good friend, Stuart Appleby, 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.[36]Statue of Payne Stewart at Waterville Golf Links, IrelandOne year after Stewart's death, his widow Tracey and their two children, and the family of Stewart's agent, Robert Fraley, who also died on that flight, brought a lawsuit against Learjet, flight operator SunJet Aviation, Inc., and aircraft owner JetShares One Inc. They alleged that a cracked adapter resulted in an airflow valve detaching from the frame, causing a fatal loss of cabin pressure. They also claimed that the aircraft was severely out of maintenance due to negligence by SunJet.[37] In April 2000 as part of a federal criminal investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided SunJet and seized its flight logbooks, effectively grounding all of its aircraft. The investigation was dropped in 2002, but it was too late to save SunJet; unable to legally operate, it had filed for bankruptcy protection in June 2000.[38] The case against Learjet went forward in state court in Orlando. In June 2005, jurors found that the aircraft's manufacturer had no liability in the deaths of Stewart and Fraley and that no negligence was found in the design or manufacture of the aircraft.[23][37]
The segment of Interstate 44 passing through Springfield, Missouri, was designated the "Payne Stewart Memorial Highway" in his memory. Payne Stewart Drive in Fullerton, California, and Payne Stewart Drive in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, leading into Northview golf course designed by Arnold Palmer, were named after him. Finally, Payne Stewart Drive in Jacksonville, Florida, houses The First Tee along with a Job Corps center.
The communities of Mina and Aberdeen created their own memorial. Jon Hoffman, owner of the property where the aircraft crashed, contacted Stewart's widow and several family members of other crash victims. All agreed that the memorial would be a rock from the crash site, engraved with the victims' names and a Bible passage. Hoffman fenced in about an acre (4,000 m²) of the property surrounding the memorial.[35]
In 2000, the PGA Tour established the Payne Stewart Award, given each year to a player who shows 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.[39] A bronze statue of Stewart celebrating his winning putt in 1999 at Pinehurst overlooks the 18th green of the No. 2 course.[23]
In tribute to Stewart, as well as his southwestern Missouri roots, the Payne Stewart Golf Club was opened in Branson, Missouri, in June 2009 with the approval of Stewart's widow.[citation needed] Ground-breaking on the $31 million layout took place on July 24, 2006. The 7,319-yard, 18-hole course was designed by Bobby Clampett and Chuck Smith. Each hole on the course is named for some aspect or notable moment in Stewart's life. The fifth hole, for example named "Road Hole", recounts the par Stewart made in the first round of the 1990 Open Championship at Old Course at St Andrews when he was forced to knock his third shot against the wall behind the green at the Old Course's treacherous 17th. His ball finished just on the back fringe from where he chipped in.
On the 10th anniversary of Stewart's death in 2009, Golf Channel presented a special program to remember his life. It included recorded interviews with family and friends, and archived videos of his golf career.
On the first day of the 2014 U.S. Open, Rickie Fowler wore plus fours and argyle socks in tribute to Stewart. The championship was at the Pinehurst Resort where Stewart won his last major championship only a few months before his death.[40]
Professional wins (24)PGA Tour wins (11)LegendMajor championships (3)Other PGA Tour (8)No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin ofvictory Runner(s)-up1 Jul 18, 1982 Miller High Life QCO 66-71-68-63=268 −12 2 strokes United States Brad Bryant, United States Pat McGowan2 Oct 23, 1983 Walt Disney World Golf Classic 69-64-69-67=269 −19 2 strokes England Nick Faldo, United States Mark McCumber3 Mar 15, 1987 Hertz Bay Hill Classic 69-67-63-65=264 −20 3 strokes South Africa David Frost4 Apr 16, 1989 MCI Heritage Golf Classic 65-67-67-69=268 −16 5 strokes United States Kenny Perry5 Aug 13, 1989 PGA Championship 74-66-69-67=276 −12 1 stroke United States Andy Bean, United States Mike Reid,United States Curtis Strange6 Apr 15, 1990 MCI Heritage Golf Classic (2) 70-69-66-71=276 −8 Playoff United States Steve Jones, United States Larry Mize7 May 6, 1990 GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic 67-68-67=202* −8 2 strokes United States Lanny Wadkins8 Jun 17, 1991 U.S. Open 67-70-73-72=282 −6 Playoff United States Scott Simpson9 Apr 30, 1995 Shell Houston Open 73-65-70-68=276 −12 Playoff United States Scott Hoch10 Feb 7, 1999 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am 69-64-73=206* −10 1 stroke United States Frank Lickliter II11 Jun 20, 1999 U.S. Open (2) 68-69-72-70=279 −1 1 stroke United States Phil Mickelson*Tournament shortened to 54 holes due to inclement weather.
PGA Tour playoff record (3–6)
No. Year Tournament Opponent(s) Result1 1984 Colonial National Invitation United States Peter Jacobsen Lost to birdie on first extra hole2 1985 Byron Nelson Golf Classic United States Bob Eastwood Lost to bogey on first extra hole3 1986 Colonial National Invitation United States Dan Pohl Lost to birdie on first extra hole4 1988 Provident Classic United States Phil Blackmar Lost to birdie on first extra hole5 1989 Nabisco Championship United States Tom Kite Lost to par on second extra hole6 1990 MCI Heritage Golf Classic United States Steve Jones, United States Larry Mize Won with birdie on second extra holeJones eliminated with par on first hole7 1991 U.S. Open United States Scott Simpson Won 18-hole playoff;Stewart: +3 (75),Simpson: +5 (77)8 1995 Shell Houston Open United States Scott Hoch Won with birdie on first extra hole9 1999 MCI Classic United States Glen Day, United States Jeff Sluman Day won with birdie on first extra holeEuropean Tour wins (4)LegendMajor championships (3)Other European Tour (1)No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin ofvictory Runners-up1 Aug 13, 1989 PGA Championship 74-66-69-67=276 −12 1 stroke United States Andy Bean, United States Mike Reid,United States Curtis Strange2 Jun 17, 1991 U.S. Open 67-70-73-72=282 −6 Playoff United States Scott Simpson3 Jul 28, 1991 Heineken Dutch Open 67-68-62-70=267 −21 9 strokes Sweden Per-Ulrik Johansson, Germany Bernhard Langer4 Jun 20, 1999 U.S. Open (2) 68-69-72-70=279 −1 1 stroke United States Phil MickelsonEuropean Tour playoff record (1–0)
No. Year Tournament Opponent Result1 1991 U.S. Open United States Scott Simpson Won 18-hole playoff;Stewart: +3 (75),Simpson: +5 (77)Japan Golf Tour wins (1)No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin ofvictory Runners-up1 Sep 29, 1985 Jun Classic 69-70-70=209 −7 Shared title with:Japan Kazushige KonoandJapan Masahiro KuramotoPGA Tour of Australasia wins (1)No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin ofvictory Runner-up1 14 Nov 1982 Resch's Pilsner Tweed Classic −9 (71-65-71-72=279) 2 strokes Myanmar Kyi Hla HanAsia Golf Circuit wins (2)1981 Indian Open, Indonesia Open[3]Other wins (8)1982 Magnolia State Classic1987 Fred Meyer Challenge (with Isao Aoki)1990 World Cup (individual winner)1991 Skins Game1992 Skins Game, Hassan II Trophy1993 Skins Game, Hassan II TrophyMajor championshipsWins (3)Year Championship 54 holes Winning score Margin Runner(s)-up1989 PGA Championship 6 shot deficit −12 (74-66-69-67=276) 1 stroke United States Andy Bean, United States Mike Reid, United States Curtis Strange1991 U.S. Open Tied for lead −6 (67-70-73-72=282) Playoff1 United States Scott Simpson1999 U.S. Open (2) 1 shot lead −1 (68-69-72-70=279) 1 stroke United States Phil Mickelson1Defeated Simpson in an 18-hole playoff – Stewart 75 (+3), Simpson 77 (+5).
Results timelineTournament 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989Masters Tournament T32 T21 T25 T8 T42 T25 T24U.S. Open CUT T5 T6 CUT T10 T13The Open Championship T58 CUT 2 T35 T4 T7 T8PGA Championship CUT CUT CUT T12 T5 T24 T9 1Tournament 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999Masters Tournament T36 CUT T9 CUT T41 CUT T52U.S. Open CUT 1 T51 2 CUT T21 T27 T28 2 1The Open Championship T2 T32 T34 12 CUT T11 T45 59 T44 T30PGA Championship T8 T13 T69 T44 T66 T13 T69 T29 CUT T57 Win Top 10 Did not playCUT = missed the half-way cut (3rd round cut in 1984 Open Championship)"T" = tied
SummaryTournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeMasters Tournament 0 0 0 0 2 6 14 11U.S. Open 2 2 0 5 7 9 16 12The Open Championship 0 2 0 3 5 7 17 15PGA Championship 1 0 0 2 4 8 18 14Totals 3 4 0 10 18 30 65 52Most consecutive cuts made – 11 (1987 Open Championship – 1990 Masters)Longest streak of top-10s – 3 (twice)Results in The Players ChampionshipTournament 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999The Players Championship CUT T64 T13 T10 CUT T8 CUT T11 T13 T11 CUT T3 T41 CUT T8 T23 Top 10 Did not playCUT = missed the halfway cut"T" indicates a tie for a place
U.S. national team appearancesProfessional
Four Tours World Championship: 1986, 1987 (winners), 1989 (winners), 1990Ryder Cup: 1987, 1989 (tied), 1991 (winners), 1993 (winners), 1999 (winners)World Cup: 1987, 1990Alfred Dunhill Cup: 1993, 1999Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (representing PGA Tour): 1996 (winners)