Speaking in the immediate aftermath of Stewart's death, Colin Montgomerie had this to say about his long-time rival: "I keep going back in my mind to the putt Payne holed to win the US Open. He only had the one chance and he took it. It had nothing to do with technique. It had everything to do with guts and determination and character."

"As early as the fourth tee things were going wrong with the crowd," wrote Monty in America's Golf World magazine. "Whereupon Payne stepped in. He told me that if there was anything he could do or say, just let him know. He would get anyone causing trouble ejected.

"Only one hole later it happened. As I approached my ball on the 5th fairway a guy had to be thrown out. Payne was instrumental in having the man taken away.

"For all that, Payne wasn't trying any less hard to beat me. He was a real competitor. He had guts and courage. Which is what the Ryder Cup is about. It's who can handle the pressure. And Payne could handle it - very, very well.

"What Payne did for me that afternoon was to the detriment of his own game. Trying to control the crowd had to have broken his concentration. It had to have cost him a shot or two, which was important given that our match went to the last green.

"It was there that Payne conceded. To pick my ball up in those circumstances was the gesture of a true sportsman. With so many people so close to the putting surface, I think he could see that things were close to being completely out of control and acted accordingly."