The USGA is making a touching tribute to the late Pinehurst US Open champion
The USGA honors Payne Stewart with a special flag on the 18th.
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This US Open marks the fourth held at Pinehurst No. 2, but also marks the silver anniversary (25) of the first US Open held at the legendary North Carolina resort.
That US Open in 1999 was won by the late Payne Stewart, who sank a 15-foot par putt on the 72nd hole to beat Phil Mickelson by a stroke for his third major title.
Sadly, that was Stewart’s last of 11 PGA Tour appearances as he died four months later in a plane crash. He was 42 years old.
The site of his last victory has not lost its connection to Stewart as he is honored there with a bronze statue depicting his famous one-legged kick and fist pump after making the putt that beat Mickelson in ’99 onto the 18th green of the No. 2 course.
This week, the USGA moved that statue to its US Open fan zone so more fans could have a chance to take pictures with it.
For this year’s US Open finale, the USGA is taking a few extra steps to honor the first US Open winner of Pinehurst No. 2.
As USGA CEO Mike Whan announced earlier in the week, the flag on the 18th green will bear the shadow of Stewart’s final putt. Mesh siding around the 18th hole grandstand will, too. The pin position will also look familiar to those who have seen the highlights of Stewart making the final par save as it is the same as the one used in 1999.
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“We’re really proud to be here in 2024 and celebrate 25 years of Payne Stewart’s incredible victory here. What a memory that was. I was here. His wife Tracey and her family are here. His caddy Mike Hicks is here,” said Whan on Wednesday. “I’ll tell you one last thing, and I believe we’re about to start something very special. 1,000 tournaments. That doesn’t happen very often. But it’s going to be special in part because Payne Stewart, I believe, has a big smile looking down on this week with a lot of pride.”
Whan also revealed that some of Stewart’s memorabilia given to the USGA by his family was on display for players to see in the locker room this week.
This is not the first time the USGA has honored one of its champions with a special flag on the final hole of the US Open. At the 2017 US Open at Erin Hills, the first Open played since Arnold Palmer’s death, the flag on Sunday’s 18th hole featured a photo of the 1960 champion tossing his cap in the air after winning at Cherry Hills.
With a strong leaderboard and stars at the top, the odds for the 2024 US Open are headed for another thrilling finish.
