The late, great, Payne Stewart won the US Open at Pinehurst in 1999, after he defeated Phil Mickelson on the final hole by rolling in a 25-foot putt for par.
Mickelson never won a US Open in the end, although he’s still trying to do so, while Stewart was triumphant in two of his national championships – in 1991 at Hazeltine National Golf Club and 1999 at Pinehurst.
Stewart won the 1989 PGA Championship as well, and featured on five Ryder Cup teams throughout his career.
He passed away in a plane crash in October 1999 and when that happened, the PGA Tour lost one of its greatest characters and kindest people.
Stewart will mostly be remembered for his head-to-head showdown with Mickelson at the 1999 US Open, but his legacy was about far more than his success on the golf course.
How Payne Stewart beat Phil Mickelson at the 1999 US Open
The 1999 US Open was one of the most thrilling majors to watch over the past 30 years.
Heading into the final round at Pinehurst on Sunday, Stewart led Mickelson by one stroke after rounds of 68, 69 and 72.
However, by the time the two players had reached the 12th hole of the final round, Mickelson had opened up a one-shot lead.
That’s when the late, great Stewart had to really dig deep.
He played the treacherous final six-hole stretch at Pinehurst in one-under par while Lefty completed the same run of holes in one-over.
However, Stewart didn’t make things easy on himself on the final hole. He was left with a 25-foot putt for par, with Mickelson in for his four.
The five-time member of the US Ryder Cup team proceeded to roll his putt in the middle of the hole to win the second US Open Championship of his career.
Just four months after that moment, Stewart passed away, and his impact on the game of golf was so profound that everyone involved with the game felt like they had lost a friend.
What Payne Stewart said to Phil Mickelson after his US Open win
Stewart was widely regarded as one of the real gentlemen of the professional game.
Mickelson was devastated after losing out to Stewart on the final hole at Pinehurst 26 years ago.
At the time, Lefty’s wife – Amy – was pregnant and due to give birth to their first child at any moment.
And Stewart proved his class by grabbing his opponent by the face, looking into his eyes, and giving him a message that he would never forget.
Stewart said to Mickelson: “You’re going to be a great dad, there is nothing like being a father.“
The six-time major champion always credited Stewart for saying those words in that exact moment.
He will forever be remembered in the game for his two US Open wins in the 1990s.
However, the real legacy that Stewart left behind was one centred around his kindness, compassion and empathy.
At the end of the day, that is all that matters, not what he achieved on the golf course. His US Open wins were just the cherry on top of the cake.