Paul Azinger received what he considered the greatest honor of his career. He was announced Monday as the winner of the Payne Stewart Award, which recognized his traits that belonged to his closest friend on the PGA Tour.
The award began in 2000, the year when Stewart and three others died in a plane crash. It has become one of the top awards for golf, broadcast live from Atlanta during the Tour Championship in August.
“Being appointed as the winner of the award representing my dearest friend was one of the proudest moments of my life,” Ashinger said.
Azinger is a 12-time PGA Tour champion, including his 1993 PGA title he won in the playoffs. He is known for reshaping the Ryder Cup qualification system and leading the Americans to a rare victory over Europe in 2008. He is now a TV analyst for the PGA Tour champion.
The award recognizes a player who demonstrates role, sporting spirit and commitment to philanthropy. In 2021, Azinger and his wife Toni opened the Azinger Family Compassion Center, which serves vulnerable and struggling families in Manatee County, Florida.
Southern, which sponsors the award, donated $300,000 to the recipient’s charity and $200,000 to the Stewart Family Foundation program.
