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'A tragic situation' Stewart's death casts pall over Tour Championship
Posted: Monday October 25, 1999 06:59 PM
HOUSTON (AP) -- A blue ribbon marked the empty parking spot Payne Stewart was supposed to fill this week as one of the honored guests of the Tour Championship. Stewart was killed along with four others when their LearJet flew uncontrolled for hours Monday before crashing in South Dakota. He was among the sport's top 30 money winners and qualified for the $5 million tournament at Champions Golf Club. Fans and colleagues were stunned as practice began Monday, and the PGA Tour canceled Tuesday's pro-am that was part of Tour Championship "I think of Payne Stewart, and there's a guy that's going to be like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, a guy you want around all those years," golfer Duffy Waldorf said. "He's such a big part of the game." Waldorf and fellow pro Jeff Maggert said Stewart was well-liked by the players and a gallery favorite. "Playing on the tour for nine years and being able to share a passion with someone ... to play on the Ryder Cup team with him, it's just amazing that in a fraction of the time your world and your life and a lot of things can change," Maggert said. "It will be a tough week for all the players, for myself, for the wives, everyone. It's a tragic situation." Flags flew at half staff at the golf course after it was confirmed Stewart was aboard the wayward jet and died in a nose-first crash. The mood was thoroughly somber as golfers practiced in the sunshine. "I was looking forward to seeing him play. He is a very colorful pro," said Vance Riley, 68, a golf fan and resident of the neighborhood adjacent to the course. Charlie Hall, 76, spoke of Stewart's unmistakable knickers. "He was very distinguished in clothing, but when you got used to it he didn't look right with long pants on," said Hall, who like Riley is an ex-pilot. "You hate to see a good guy like that go. He's one of the good people in this game." Jackie Burke, 1956 Masters champion and co-founder of Champions, had trouble digesting the news of Stewart's death. "I can't believe anything like this could happen -- a private aircraft going down like that," Burke said. "But, I mean, missing him is just unbelievable."
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