Payne Stewart was a professional golfer whose life ended suddenly at the age of 42. The winner of three majors, Stewart was still coming down from the high of winning the 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina on Sunday, June 17. Four months later, on October 25, Stewart was flying in a chartered Learjet from Orlando to Dallas with five others to discuss a new golf course for Southern Methodist University, his alma mater. The plane was cruising on autopilot when it lost cabin pressure. Investigators theorized all on board became incapacitated by lack of oxygen. The plane flew on for almost four hours and 1,500 miles before it ran out of fuel and crashed near Mina, South Dakota.
This lot includes a pair of Payne Stewart signed tee markers from the site of his 2nd U.S. Open victory and final major championship. Beautifully displayed inside an oversized (26” wide by 30” high by 6” deep) shadowbox, these markers are considered among the last items he signed before that fatal flight. Included in the shadowbox are two prominently displayed framed letters, one from Pinehurst II Country Club representative Paul T. Jett and the other from Stewart's agent at Leaders Enterprises, Cindy Lisk, confirming both the authenticity and the handoffs of the tee markers. Stewart has added his impeccable signature four times to the tee markers, one at each end, in sparkling silver. The autographs are solid and would rate 9/10 in our book. The overall display includes a green, turf like background that looks just like a putting green. A historical piece of sports memorabilia remembering one of golf's good guys taken from us way too early.
Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.
Includes a Letter of Provenance from collector Robert Zweigle.
The Robert Zweigle collection represents 40 years of assembling sports memorabilia items from college and professional football, professional golf and NCAA basketball. Bob Zweigle was a major supplier of promotional products to the NFL who personally attended 38 Super Bowls, working closely with NFL personnel and establishing unique connections that helped grow his collection. He designed/produced Super Bowl press pins from XXV through XXXIX (the final year the NFL produced its own pins). He also designed/produced the Player Participation Trophy and Player of the Game Trophy for the Pro Bowl, as well as the Arena Bowl Championship Trophy. He made it a personal quest to obtain in-person autographs on important memorabilia items at many sporting events wherein he had rare and unusual access.