The date was June 20, 1999.
I remember the date clearly because it was my mother-in-law’s birthday celebration, and everyone had gathered (as they always do) at her mother’s farm to honor her. It was also Father’s Day, and oh yeah….the final day of the U.S. Open at Pinehurst.
My wife’s family hails from Springfield, Missouri, and her aunts and uncles went to the same high school as Springfield native Payne Stewart. In fact, my wife’s grandmother and Bea Stewart, Payne’s late mother, were great friends.
If you watched the tournament, you may remember that there was another drama unfolding – off the course. Phil Mickelson’s wife, Amy, was due to give birth to their first child that same day, and Phil had already stated that he’d walk off the course if he heard she was in labor. The leaderboard ebbed and flowed, with playing partners Mickelson and Stewart both looking like winners at different times. What a great day it was!
Back on the farm, where 30 or so people crowded around a TV watching their favorite son, the emotions ran high. While there was sentiment for Phil, everyone wanted to see Bea’s boy win his 3rd major championship. They reached the 18th, where Payne ended up with a 25 footer to win. When he drained the putt, the crowd at Pinehurst didn’t have half the energy of the living room at the farm. I think they heard our roar in St. Louis!
While it was exciting to watch my wife’s family go nuts when Payne won, it was even more amazing to me to see Payne’s first words upon winning. He immediately walked over to Phil Mickelson, grabbed his face in his hands, and said, “you’re gonna love being a dad!”
Early in his career, Payne Stewart wasn’t known for being the most gracious guy. But he grew up, and on one of the world’s biggest stages, the character he developed over the years gave all of us something to aspire to.
I miss him.
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