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Tragedy touches golfers in this area By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN Bobby Chilton, owner and instructor at Medford's Golf USA, remembers the first time he saw Payne Stewart striding down a fairway in a PGA tournament. It was nearly a decade ago in San Diego at the Andy Williams-San Diego Open. "It was at Torrey Pines (Golf Course) and Payne came walking up over a hill," says Chilton. "He was dressed brightly and looked like a bumblebee as he came into view. "It was an unforgettable sight," says Chilton. Prior to starting his own golf attire company two years ago, Stewart was known for wearing knickers, tops and tam-o'-shanters in the colors of NFL teams. That day, he wore the colors of the San Diego Chargers. "When he came over the hill, you knew it was Payne," says Chilton. "It was fun to see him." Another Stewart trademark was "his smooth swing," said Chilton. "A lot of time when I work with my students, I talk about how Payne swings, which is smooth rather than hard." Chilton, like many other people involved in golf in the Rogue Valley, was stunned Monday morning when he learned of the death of Stewart in a plane crash in South Dakota. "It's difficult to imagine he's gone," said Chilton, a certified teacher for the National Golf Instructors organization. "Golf just lost a legend. It's a sad day for all of us in golf." Chilton wasn't alone as an admirer. "I liked his swing," said Steve Sanders, a men's club member at Quail Point Golf Course of Medford. "He was always well-dressed, and people respected him because he was a family man. "I liked him wearing knickers because my wife also wears them. At times, she looks very cute in them. As for Payne, he just looked good in them, for a man." Lee Lorenz, a pro shop employee at Rogue Valley Country Club, said Stewart was unique as a touring professional because of "his great swing and his personality. "He liked fans, and I've heard he never turned down an autograph request. He was one of the foremost personalities and players on the tour." Aaron Rayburn of StoneRidge Golf Course said he became a fan of Stewart's by watching him in the Fred Meyer Challenge in Portland in recent years. "He was a real favorite of the fans there," says Rayburn. "He was known for his pure swing and his clothes. "I remember in the Fred Meyer Challenge, he was doing a lot of bantering with the crowd. He was a personable guy, and the fans seemed to love him." Doug Elam, a former South Medford Medford High football player, liked "the NFL stuff he wore. He was a snazzy dresser, if there ever was one on the golf course." Norm Homeier, assistant pro at Cedar Links Golf Course of Medford, remembers Stewart most for the 15-foot birdie putt he drained on the 72nd hole to win the 1999 U.S. Open. "He had to two-putt from there to get into a playoff, but Payne showed his toughness and made it for birdie to win," said Homeier. "None of us ever thought it would be the last putt he would make in the U.S. Open." Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.