PGA TOUR veteran Paul Azinger has been named the 2025 PGA Payne Stewart Award Recipient, recognizing his outstanding character, sportsmanship, and dedication to charitable causes. The announcement was made at PGA TOUR Studios in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and the award ceremony will take place on August 19 during the TOUR Championship in Atlanta, highlighting Azinger’s lasting impact on the golf community and beyond.
This award, given annually by the PGA TOUR, celebrates players who embody the values upheld by the late Payne Stewart, a World Golf Hall of Famer and 11-time PGA TOUR winner known for his integrity and generosity. Azinger’s selection underscores his alignment with these principles throughout a distinguished career as both a player and broadcaster.
Embodying the Spirit of Payne Stewart Through Life and Charity
The PGA TOUR Commissioner, Jay Monahan, praised Azinger’s role as a close friend of Stewart, emphasizing that Azinger perfectly represents the qualities Stewart exemplified.
“We are pleased to add Paul Azinger’s name to the long and illustrious list of those who have received the Payne Stewart Award presented by Southern Company,”
Monahan said.
“If there is one person who knows all the positive traits that exemplified Payne Stewart, it’s his close friend, Paul. His values align with the character and charitable pursuits that Payne displayed throughout his career, and it’s only fitting that Paul be honored with this year’s award.”
Azinger, 65, a native of Holyoke, Massachusetts, has captured twelve PGA TOUR victories, including his memorable 1993 PGA Championship win. He and his wife, Toni, are deeply involved in philanthropy through the Azinger Family Compassion Center in Manatee County, Florida, demonstrating their commitment to serving families and children in need.
Reflecting on the honor, Azinger expressed heartfelt gratitude:
“To be named the recipient of this award, representing my dearest friend, is one of the proudest moments in my life,”
he said.
“Payne displayed the ultimate character, sportsmanship and service to others throughout his career. He set the standard for how to represent the game of golf, so to be recognized for this award is truly humbling.”
Payne Stewart Award’s Legacy and Impact
The Payne Stewart Award was created in 2000 to honor the late Payne Stewart, who passed away during the week of the 1999 TOUR Championship. Since its inception, Southern Company, the Official Energy Company of the PGA TOUR, has sponsored the award each year. Stewart’s legacy continues through the annual prize, which highlights character, charity, and sportsmanship among professional golfers.
Along with the physical award, recipients receive a substantial $500,000 grant funded by Southern Company. The money supports Stewart’s charitable vision, with funds allocated as follows: $100,000 to the Stewart Family Foundation, $100,000 to the Payne Stewart Memorial at Kids Across America in Missouri, and $300,000 directed by the honoree to a charity of their choice.
For 2025, Azinger has chosen to support the Paul and Toni Azinger Charitable Fund, which benefits the Azinger Family Compassion Center. Opened in 2021 in partnership with One More Child, the Compassion Center serves vulnerable families in Manatee County by distributing food, clothing, and essential supplies, while also providing enrichment programs for children affected by hunger and trafficking.
The Azinger Family Compassion Center has contributed nearly $19 million worth of aid over the past year and works with more than 190 nonprofit partners, delivering vital community support through its expansive facility that includes donation sorting rooms, distribution areas, and family markets.
Southern Company’s Chairman, President and CEO, Chris Womack, praised Azinger’s commitment:
“Paul Azinger is a tremendous selection to be the next recipient of the Payne Stewart Award. Paul is a champion and leader who personifies what it means to be a Payne Stewart Award recipient, purposefully embodying Payne’s values of character, charity and sportsmanship,”
Womack said.
“Paul and Toni are deeply committed to serving their community and continue to do remarkable philanthropic work supporting kids and families in their time of need.”
Paul Azinger’s Lasting Contributions to Golf and Broadcasting
Paul Azinger’s involvement in professional golf spans over four decades, beginning as a talented player before transitioning into a celebrated broadcasting career. After growing up in Sarasota, Florida, he gained recognition at Florida State University, where he helped elevate the Seminoles golf team to their highest ranking. Azinger became the Metro Conference individual champion and the team’s Most Valuable Player in 1981.
His PGA TOUR career took off after earning his tour card in 1981 during Fall Qualifying in Texas. Despite early struggles, Azinger captured his first tournament victory in 1987 at the Travelers Championship. His defining moment arrived in 1993 when he won the PGA Championship by defeating Greg Norman in a sudden-death playoff.
That same year, Azinger was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a battle he faced with courage throughout six months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. During his recovery in 1995, he began his television career, later balancing playing and broadcasting before retiring from competitive golf and focusing on media full time in 2005.
Azinger became a lead golf analyst for major networks including ESPN, ABC Sports, Fox Sports, and NBC Sports, earning respect for his insightful commentary. In 2025, he embraced a new role as part-time lead analyst for PGA TOUR Champions, continuing to share his expertise and passion for the game.
Over his 28-year TOUR tenure, Azinger collected a total of 12 wins and contributed significantly to team USA’s Ryder Cup efforts. He played on four Ryder Cup squads and captained the team in 2008, guiding the Americans to their first victory over Europe since 1999 at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky.
His contributions have been recognized beyond the fairways as well, including his induction into the Florida State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988.
Joining a Distinguished Group of Past Payne Stewart Award Winners
Paul Azinger is the 28th professional golfer to receive the Payne Stewart Award, joining an exceptional roster of past recipients who have demonstrated outstanding dedication to the values Payne Stewart championed. Previous honorees include legends such as Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and contemporary stars like Zach Johnson, Steve Stricker, and Brandt Snedeker, the 2024 recipient.
This award not only honors Azinger’s character and charitable work but also cements his legacy within the PGA TOUR community, marking him as a role model for current and future generations of golfers who aspire to uphold the sport’s highest standards of conduct and generosity.
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