Tee Ceremony Honors Stewart

At 7 a.m. Wednesday in the filtered sunshine on the 18th green at Pebble Beach, it was the moment to officially say goodbye to Payne Stewart for the last time.

About 2,000 ticket-holders turned out for the 30-minute ceremony honoring the memory of Stewart, the defending U.S. Open champion whose tragic death along with five others in a private plane crash Oct. 25 shocked the world of professional golf.

Trey Holland, president of the U.S. Golf Assn., opened the brief ceremony. He stood behind a podium on the edge of the green, Carmel Bay to his back, facing the brightly painted green grandstand.

To his right, a table held the U.S. Open trophy that Stewart won last year with a dramatic 18-foot par putt on the last hole.

Larry Moody, the leader of Bible class on the PGA Tour, offered a prayer. Stewart’s close friend Paul Azinger choked back tears as he spoke a few words.

Then it was Tracey Stewart’s time to speak. Tracey and Payne Stewart were married for 18 years. They met when Stewart was not a three-time major championship winner, but a struggling pro trying to make a living on the Asian tour.

They came together in 1980 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where Stewart was playing in the Malaysian Open and where Tracey was on a three-week holiday to watch her brother, Mike, play in the same event.

The words did not come easily for Tracey Stewart early on this Wednesday in the early-morning sun.

Tom Lehman, Corey Pavin, Lee Janzen, Scott Hoch and Larry Mize were among the somber golfers who sat silently and did not move as she talked about the husband she lost.

Tracey wore a navy blue blazer, a black-and-white striped sweater and a firm half-smile.

“These past 7 1/2 months without Payne have been very difficult,” she said. “I have a huge void in my heart.”

The sun rose slightly higher, clipping the tops of the pine trees.

“If Payne was here, he would say don’t ever give up, don’t ever lose hope.”

Then Tracey moved to the close of her remarks.

“Although I realize Payne is not coming back to me on Earth, I hope to be with him in heaven one day.”

There were 21 tees stuck in the fairway just to the left and short of the 18th green at Pebble Beach, one of the most spectacular finishing holes in golf. There were 21 golf balls resting on those tees.

Soon, 21 players took their positions, looking toward the water, standing over the golf balls.

Moody spoke next.

“Gentlemen, on my command: Ready, aim, fire!”

At that instant, 21 golf balls were launched high, on an arc into Carmel Bay. Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, David Duval were among these 21, all friends of Stewart.

A second set of players teed up their golf balls and knocked them into the water. Sergio Garcia and Jose Maria Olazabal were in this group.

All that remained was for the players to stop and hug Tracey Stewart as they left the green. The goodbyes were over. Waves crashed on the rocks below and the sea wall protecting the 18th hole. The sun was warm.

*

SPECIAL SECTION

Course Knowledge

Tiger Woods knows a little something about Pebble Beach, having won there in February. In a special section, he provides hole-by-hole comments. Section S