FRIENDS, FAMILY REMEMBER STEWART : GOLFER PRAISED IN EMOTIONAL SERVICE.

Byline: Craig Dolch Palm Beach Post

Before Paul Azinger said a word Friday, he knew the best way to remember Payne Stewart.

As Azinger walked to the pulpit to deliver his eulogy, he pulled a tam o'shanter hat out of his coat pocket and put it on his head, then rolled up his pants to reveal a pair of argyle socks.

About 3,000 people at First Baptist Church burst into applause at Azinger's imitation of his late best friend's tradition of wearing knickers. The scene was one of the most memorable of a gripping, two-hour memorial service that included the first public words from Stewart's widow, Tracey.

Stewart, the reigning U.S. Open champion, was among six people killed Monday when a Learjet flew uncontrolled for four hours until running out of fuel and crashing into a field in South Dakota. Also on the plane was Jupiter, Fla., resident Bruce Borland, a golf course designer who worked for Jack Nicklaus.

For four days, the golf world has mourned the death of Stewart, 42. Friday, with virtually every top American golfer in attendance - the PGA Tour had postponed both of its tournaments for the day - it was an emotional time to remember the man beyond his 18 victories, three majors and passion for the Ryder Cup.

``Payne Stewart loved life,'' Azinger said. ``He was the life of every party. He was a man who was as interested in people as he was in golf.''

And everyone was just as interested in Stewart, judging by a turnout that included most of the game's greats such as Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Nicklaus, David Duval, Fred Couples, Nick Price and Ernie Els. Nicklaus, who attended Borland's funeral Thursday, said he connected with Stewart because both relied on a dry sense of humor.

``He always had the needle out a little bit, and some people didn't know how to take that,'' Nicklaus said. ``I was the same way. I liked to tease people and I don't think they knew what to make of me. Payne had fun when he played golf and he had fun when he was serious.''

The most heart-wrenching scene came when Tracey, with her brother at her side, talked about her husband's life. The Australian native remembered how they had met at the 1980 Malaysian Open and immediately fell in love.

She talked about how devoted Payne had been to their two children, Chelsea, 13, and Aaron, 10. In the last week he had refereed a volleyball game for Chelsea and played in a father-son golf tournament with Aaron.

``You are the light of my life and my tower of strength and you will be in my heart forever,'' she said, crying. ``After 18 years of marriage, you are still the most beautiful man I've ever seen. Not because of the way you looked on the outside anymore. But because of what was inside of you.

``You will always be my soulmate and my best friend. We love you. Let the party in heaven begin.''

In front of where the Stewart family sat, there was a memorial table that included the three most significant trophies he won - the Ryder Cup, the U.S. Open (which he won for the second time in June) and the PGA Championship.

``Now Payne's gone for the big trophy, and he won't have to give that one back after a year,'' said pastor J.B. Collinsworth.

Also at the memorial table were one of Stewart's trademark plus-fours outfits, the harmonica he used when he played in the group Jake Flounder and the Troutfish, pictures with his family and mother Bea, and a set of fake buck teeth donated by his children. Stewart used to put the teeth in and kid people he had been hit by another golfer's swing or gotten beaten up.

Azinger was one of Stewart's best friends, which meant he was subject to even more of Stewart's good-natured ribbing. Not surprisingly, a lot of the barbs were directed at Azinger's choice of fashion, which made his look Friday even more poignant.

``Payne was the fashion police,'' Azinger said. ``I can't tell you how many times Payne asked me if I got a free bowl of soup with that hat.''

Azinger talked of Stewart being a ``vicious competitor who hated to lose.'' But he also noted how Stewart had changed his life in recent years as he found religion and became more comfortable with who he was.

``For many years it seems Payne Stewart was first in his life, but he had changed,'' Azinger said. ``Only God can change hearts.''

A tearful Azinger finished by saying: ``Goodbye, Payne. We loved you and we miss you, but we know we will see you again.''

Stewart's teacher, Chuck Cook, who had the enviable task of working with one of the game's most rhythmic swings, spoke of the time they went to Pebble Beach to defend Stewart's U.S. Open title in 1992. They had a bottle of Cristal champagne and drank and talked next to the Pacific Ocean until early in the morning. Cook plans on returning there in June, when Stewart was to have defended the two titles he won there.

``There won't be a U.S. Open trophy, but there will be a bottle of Cristal,'' Cook said. ``I'm going to go to the wall and talk to my friend about life. I love Payne Stewart and I miss him.''

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2 photos

PHOTO (1 -- 2) Paul Azinger, above, wears a familiar look as he eulogizes longtime friend Payne Stewart, who died in a plane crash Monday. The memorial service in Orlando, Fla. drew 3,000 people, including PGA pro Peter Jacobsen, left.

Joe Burbank/Associated Press

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press