Stewart Cink

And that's why the Payne Stewart Award is so important.

It's important because of the way the guys that win it, you know, like Stewart Cink or, or Billy Andrade or, you know, right on down the list, um, those guys are leaders, but they are because of what Paul Azinger did for Payne Stewart makes it even, makes it even more important.

'Cause you're spreading the gospel by the transformation in Payne's life.

They said it again during the Tour Championship, um, you know, over and over on TV.

He's, of course, a colleague of mine over at NBC and also Verso and Golf Channel.

Notah, uh, I must say it was, it was a fun night celebrating you recently in Atlanta, the most recent Payne Stewart recipient.

Uh, I, I think most people when they walked away from that evening, I, I know plenty of people watched it, uh, on, on the Golf Channel, but everybody just was kind of just blown away.

I, I, I don't think they really understood really your backstory to the extent and how much you've really done for the Not- uh, for the Native American community.

And I was really touched that they were able to take some time to do that because certainly getting ready for a big event like that, you wouldn't expect, uh, guys like that to show up to an event.

But it also just lends itself to sort of what the PGA Tour has done to support this and how Southern Company has really gotten behind it and, and for good reason.

You know, the Payne Stewart Family Foundation does amazing things and using its voice and the legacy of Payne Stewart to drive more funding.

Like, the good is always there, Smiley, but-

More on that in a moment.

And meanwhile, Zach Johnson, the Zach Johnson-Stewart Cink seasons on PGA Tour Champions, he now wins for the fifth time.

So we talked to him and Stewart together about a month and a half ago when Stewart was out in front as far as wins, as far as points.

He's still out in front as far as points, but Zach Johnson is trying to reel him in.

He's gonna be hanging around.

I can definitely see an instance like Tom Watson- Uh, when, when Stewart Cink beat him at the British Open, you know, Tom Watson was up there and, you know, [laughs] poor, poor Stewart Cink in that instance, uh, said something along the lines that, "I think my family was rooting against me," 'cause folks wanted Tom Watson to, uh, get one, one more British Open.

I think we'll see something similar to that with Tiger and, you know, I wanna say he pulls it off.

Good answer.

Yeah, Paulie.

Looks like Stewart Cink after 18 holes.

[laughs]

I got Fresno State, Dan, last year.