Small gestures leave Stewart's lasting legacy

When sports figures pass on, they are often remembered for the ways that they affected our lives while on the field, court or course.

Payne Stewart, 1999's U.S. Open champion and Ryder cup team member, died last Monday.

I never met Payne Stewart.

I wonder if he was a good man.

I wonder if he was a good husband.

I wonder if he was a good father.

I wonder if he was a good son.

But that doesn't matter now. Having a better understanding of his life will, in no way, change the sadness and the disappointment that I still feel right now.

Stewart was a joy to watch on the golf course. He played hard and with pride. He sunk a remarkable fifteen-foot putt on the 72nd hole of the U.S. Open to clinch his third major title. But this putt is not what I will remember him by.

During the Ryder Cup this past September, Stewart was in a tough match against Colin Montgomerie, arguably the best golfer in the world. On the final hole of the tied match, Montgomerie had to drain a long birdie putt to defeat Stewart, even though the Cup had already been secured by the U.S. team. With a crowd full of noisy American fans waiting to celebrate the win, Stewart calmly walked over to Montgomerie's ball, picked it up and conceded the hole and the match.

Talk about carrying yourself with pride. This display by Stewart - his small act of respect for Montgomerie - is all you need to see in order to understand what kind of person the world lost last week.

It's amazing how a small gesture can forever mark its existence on another person's heart.

11-03-99