Paul Azinger is getting what he considers the greatest honor of his career. He was announced Monday as recipient of the Payne Stewart Award that recognizes traits belonging to his closest friend on the PGA Tour.
The award began in 2000, a year after Stewart and three others died in a plane crash. It has become one of the top awards in golf, with a ceremony televised live from Atlanta during the Tour Championship in August.
"To be named the recipient of this award, representing my dearest friend, is one of the proudest moments in my life," Azinger said.
Azinger is a 12-time winner on the PGA Tour, including the 1993 PGA Championship that he won in a playoff. He is equally known for reshaping the Ryder Cup qualification system and leading the Americans to a rare victory against Europe in 2008. He now works as a television analyst for the PGA Tour Champions.
The award honors a player who shows character, sportsmanship and commitment to charity. In 2021, Azinger and his wife, Toni, opened the Azinger Family Compassion Center, which serves vulnerable and struggling families in Manatee County in Florida.
The Southern Company, which sponsors the award, donates $300,000 to the recipient's charity and $200,000 to Stewart Family Foundation programs.