On his last visit to these islands for the Alfred Dunhill Cup at St Andrews earlier this month, Payne Stewart paid generous tribute to the golfing skills of Ryder Cup opponent Colin Montgomerie, while taking a conciliatory line on events at The Country Club. That was his way. He had no wish to make enemies, wherever he went.
Now he is gone, the victim of a freak air disaster. And we are reminded of another great American golfer who was similarly cut off in his prime. Two years after capturing the British Open at St Andrews, Tony Lema and his wife were killed when their private aircraft crashed en route from the 1966 USPGA Championship to a pro-am event elsewhere in the US.
Born in Springfield, Missouri on January 30th 1957, Stewart first made his name as a tournament golfer in rather modest circumstances - as co-champion of the Southwest Conference in 1979. Ten years later, he had captured the first of three "major" championships, when he finished a stroke clear of Andy Bean, Curtis Strange and Mike Reid in the USPGA Championship at Kemper Lakes.
The second "major" came in 1991, when he beat Scott Simpson in a play-off for the US Open at Hazeltine. And despite having to cope with an unexpected extension of the tournament schedule into a Monday play-off, there was never a question but that he would fulfil his commitment to play in the Irish Open at Killarney later that week.
His first visit to Ireland proved to be an unqualified success for all concerned. After rounds of 69 and 71, he was tied for the lead at the half-way stage with future Ryder Cup rival Montgomerie. But jetlag began to take its toll over the weekend and Stewart slipped to rounds of 77 and 76 and an eventual share of 16th place behind the winner, Nick Faldo.
Far more memorable, however, was his demeanour throughout the tournament. Locals were drawn to this warm-hearted American who dressed in decidedly odd, even garish clothes, characterised by plus-twos, or knickers as they call them in his part of the world. And Stewart responded by kissing, hugging and shaking hands with all-comers, as appropriate.
That was the period when he was contracted to the American NFL, which meant he would wear the colours of the various teams in the league. Sometimes this would result in some outrageous combinations of colours, to the extent that spectators were heard to remark: "Gee, Payne looks good enough to eat today."
Typically, he would greet such comments with a shrug of the shoulders, a warm smile and a lighthearted response with that high-pitched drawl of his. And later, he would turn sartorial quirkiness to splendid advantage by establishing his own clothing line, featuring a figure of a golfer as his logo.
Meanwhile, he returned to Ireland prior to the British Open last year, when he had a hole in one on the short third at Ballybunion. That visit was prompted by his friendship with Irish businessmen Dermot Desmond and JP McManus and culminated in a return visit for the Smurfit European Open in which he, sadly, he failed to make the cut.
And he was back once again last July. Once more he was the reigning US Open champion, after conquering the punishing terrain of Pinehurst No 2 and Phil Mickelson's challenge.
During a memorable final round, he cut quite a figure. There were the customary plus twos and bright top - and a windcheater from which Stewart removed the sleeves with a scissors!
In the event, on this latest Irish break, much of his time was spent at Waterville GC where he is reported to have entertained both his US Tour colleagues and delighted locals with rousing tunes on the harmonica. Small wonder that the club decided to make him honorary captain for the year 2000, a distinction he was delighted to accept.
During that visit, he went on the Friday with Desmond and McManus to play the Old Head of Kinsale. With typical good humour, he set off into a dense fog in a six-ball with colleagues Tiger Woods, David Duval, Mark O'Meara, Lee Janzen and Stuart Appleby. And, as it happened, I had the good fortune to walk the 18 holes with them.
On the final hole, they went back to the very back tee, from where there is a vertigo-inducing, sheer drop of 300 feet to the churning breakers below. Anyway Stewart delivered his Sunday best - and didn't quite make the fairway.
Feigning anger and alarm in equal measure, he exploded: "Michael Jordan never hit this green with a nine iron." He was assured that the former basketball ace had, in fact, done as much. Still, as Stewart settled over a four-wood second shot, he continued to mutter: "Michael Jordan never . . ."
And instinctively, professional pride came to the fore. With that beautifully lazy swing and remarkable tempo, he hit the most glorious approach into a fresh breeze and safely onto the putting surface. And still he muttered: "Michael Jordan . . ."
During the build-up to the Ryder Cup, he knowingly drew ridicule on himself with that infamous comment about the Europeans not being good enough even to act as caddies to the American team. And when Darren Clarke joined the queue of players offering to carry his bag, Stewart laughed as heartily as anyone.
Then came the climactic moments of what had developed into a distasteful exercise, certainly from a European standpoint. It is debatable whether Stewart could have hoped to match Montgomerie's play of the final hole, yet in conceding a win to the Scot he was motivated only by the thought of saving his opponent further abuse from the crowd.
Only last Friday, it was announced that Payne Stewart would be among a select group of Americans to compete in the JP McManus Invitational Pro-Am 2000 at Limerick GC next July. But there will be no more Irish visits for this talented, open and generous man.
Only memories will remain of a player who graced his chosen pursuit with wonderful skill, vitality and a marvellous sense of fun.
