William Payne Stewart

This three time major winner was one of the classiest golfers to have played the modern game. He brought to the game a style and charisma that few have matched today. Such was his impact on the game that the PGA Tour has established the Payne Stewart Award for the player who “shows respect for the traditions of the game, commitment to uphold the game’s heritage of charitable support and professional and meticulous presentation of himself and the sport through his dress and conduct.”.

Payne was reputed to have the largest wardrobe of any professional golfer, a clear display of classiness (see Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu, who has so many clothes he keeps them at his Auntie’s house). Rather than the ostentatious style of John Daly or the more modern look that Luke Donaldpulls off, Payne was never seen on the course out of his plus fours and knee socks. Other greats to have worked the plus fours include Edward VII, who introduced them to the United States, Tintin and Andre Benjamin. His style was not restricted to his dress sense though, with his swing described as a “long and wonderfully graceful and fluid movement”.

However, Payne was no Jesper Parnevik (who was a very odd man known for his hats and reputed to eat volcano ash for power), he was a great sportsman whose life was cut short in a freak blimping light aircraft accident. Payne won the PGA Championship in 1989, kept his cool to win the US Open in a playoff with Scott Simpson in 1991 and won his final US Open beating Phil Mickelson in 1999, just months before his death.

Payne was also a fervent patriot, one of the few Americans to take the Ryder Cup seriously. This has always been a fantastic contest, but has recently been besmirched by the philanderer Tiger Woods, who cannot be arsed to try. Despite this patriotism, he was still magnanimous in defeat and after losing out to Europe he went into their dressing room to join in the celebrations by playing his harmonica to their singing. Always one to enjoy a drink too, Payne would often conduct interviews if the bar tab was picked up by the interviewer, showing true class by never displaying his wealth. He would always have a few beers and whiskies the night before playing and when others were bleary eyed Payne was winking and laughing at their misfortune.