Who was Payne Stewart?

- Golf Digest

Twenty-five years after the golfer’s passing, a writer remembers unguarded times. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Twenty-five years ago today, three-time major champion Payne Stewart was one of six passengers killed when the Learjet they were traveling in suffered a catastrophic loss of cabin pressure.

That tragic day, one of the saddest the game has known, came three months after Golf Digest’s Guy Yocom had interviewed Stewart in the golfer’s Orlando home.

“He demonstrated both tremendous hospitality and simple generosity,” Yocom recalls. “When we talked about his latest outfits, he showed me his closet, a mini-department store packed with shirts, shoes, hats and a long row of knickers. ‘You want a pair?’ he asked. I stupidly declined.”

To commemorate the anniversary of Stewart’s death, Yocom reflects on that final chat—as well as numerous interviews he had with Stewart in the years prior. His poignant essay reveals unique anecdotes and a fresh perspective that thoroughly answers the question: Who was Payne Stewart?