Steve Stricker Receives Payne Stewart Award

Stricker: time for the Payne (Allison)

IF NICE GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO WIN the Payne Stewart Award, then Steve Stricker certainly qualifies. Stricker follows David Toms, Tom Lehman, Kenny Perry and U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love, among others, as a recipient of the award named for three-time major champion Payne Stewart, who died in a plane crash in 1999.

“It’s very humbling and an honor that I never thought would be possible,” Stricker said at the Tour Championship.

More from Doug Ferguson’s AP story:

Steve Stricker ran into PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem outside the East Lake clubhouse Tuesday morning and already was worried about having to give a speech that night to receive the Payne Stewart Award.

“Can we just do a Q & A?” Stricker said. “I don’t know if I can make it through without crying.”

He couldn’t even make it through a news conference without shedding a few tears.

I’m not making fun of the tears, by the way. Emotion is good, and I’ve always been a Stricker fan.

The Payne Stewart Award is given to players who demonstrate respect for the traditions of the game, are involved in charity work and conduct themselves in a professional manner.