Stewart Gives $108,000 Gift in Honor of Dad

Payne Stewart, the knickered golfer who won last week’s Bay Hill tournament, Thursday donated his entire $108,000 first prize to establish a house on the grounds of Florida Hospital for the relatives of cancer patients.

Stewart told an Orlando news conference that he wanted to honor the memory of his father, William Louis Stewart, who died of cancer two years ago.

“He was an important part of my life,” Stewart said of his dad in presenting the check to Florida Hospital’s Cancer Center and the Golden Circle of Friends, who are refurbishing the house at the hospital in nearby Altamonte Springs.

“He introduced me to the game at 4 and for the next 24 years, he was my coach,” Stewart added. “But more importantly, he was my friend and inspiration.”

Last Saturday, the second anniversary of his father’s death, Stewart said he was dedicating the tournament to him. Sunday’s championship was Stewart’s first PGA Tour victory since 1983, although he earned more than $500,000 in 1986.