Stewart evokes Asian memories

As Payne Stewart summoned all his extraordinary powers to drain a pressure-packed 18-foot putt for victory on the final green at Pinehurst in June's US Open, veteran golf fans watching television footage in Indonesia were transported back in time. Eighteen years earlier, the then 24-year-old Missourian found himself in a similarly tense situation at Jakarta's Pondok Indah. On the first extra hole of a four-man play-off at the 1981 Indonesian Open, Stewart, in his second full year on the now-defunct Asian Tour, was left with a curling right-to-left 20-foot birdie chance for the title. He did not flinch. With the smooth putting stroke that was to help him to three Major crowns, Stewart unerringly stroked his ball into the centre of the cup. As the galleries surrounding the green broke into wild applause, Stewart raised his arms in a demonstrative victory salute. According to newspaper reports, his Australian girlfriend Tracey Ferguson, who was to become his wife and mother to his two children, 'ran across the green and bear-hugged Stewart and followed up with a gentle kiss on his lips'. It was Stewart's second triumph of the year in the region, having also won the Indian Open at the Delhi Golf Club. During those formative years of his golfing career, there was little doubt that Stewart, with his flowing swing and shock of blond hair, was destined for a bright future in the game. At that time, though, he was not noted for sartorial elegance. In the presentation picture from the Indonesian Open, Stewart is wearing white shorts, a pink shirt and a visor. He may not yet have been clad in the plus-fours and flat cap with which he would become synonymous, but Stewart easily stood out from the crop of young Americans for whom the Asian Tour was becoming a stepping-stone into the major leagues - and not only because of his obvious talent. Occasional flashes of temper were also evident. At the Korean Open in 1980 he was disqualified after tearing up his card in disgust at his poor performance in the first round. Despite - or maybe because of - his youthful brashness, many Asian observers were convinced that he would make the grade. 'Payne Stewart has hopes of breaking into the big time on the US Tour, but if not he will be back in Asia next year. And he will be welcome, as he added a lot to our Tour,' said an editorial in the June 1981 edition of Asian Golf Digest. As we know, Stewart did not come back. He duly qualified for the 1982 US Tour and over the ensuing 17 years went on to establish himself as one of the finest golfers of his generation. Yet Stewart never forgot his Asian experience. On the rare occasions he returned to the region to participate as a 'star player' in a tournament (such as the 1995 Hong Kong Open) or Skins Games, he acknowledged that his two years on the Asian Tour toughened him up. Like all golf fans around the world, followers of the game in Asia have been mourning Stewart's death. On the opening day of last week's Hero Honda Masters on the Asian PGA Tour there was a minute's silence as a mark of respect to Stewart. 'Payne Stewart was a great golfer and Indian fans were specially attached to him as he won the Indian Open in 1981,' said a tournament official. It had not only been the manner in which he won that tournament that earned him respect, but also his magnanimity at the prize-giving. Wrote one Indian correspondent: 'Stewart charmed the audience with his modesty. When asked to say a few words he passed on all the kudos to his local caddie for 'giving him the right club for each shot and the right line for each putt'.' Local players will be aiming to end a nine-year drought when they tee-off in this week's Hong Kong Open men's amateur championship at Clearwater Bay. Not since American-born Michael Grant in 1990 has a Hong Kong-based player savoured victory in the event which was inaugurated in 1931, while Tang Man-kee (1988 and 1989) was the last locally-born golfer to capture the title. Spearheading Hong Kong hopes in this year's 90-man field are Chris Tang Shing-chi, Roderick Staunton, Wilson Choy and Stuart Murray, who will travel to Singapore the following week to fly the SAR flag in the nine-nation Southeast Asian amateur team championship for the Putra Cup. Murray was Hong Kong's leading individual in last month's Asia-Pacific championships for the Nomura Cup in Pakistan with a four-round total of 304 at the Lahore Gymkhana Golf Club where the SAR placed 10th in the event which featured 14 countries and was won by Australia. Tang (306) and Choy (312) have retained their places in the Hong Kong team for Singapore, while Wong Woon-man (313) has made way for Staunton, who was unavailable for the Lahore trip.