‘What an amazing ride’
Notah Begay III honored for a life beyond golf
For the Navajo Times | Sean McCabe
Notah Begay III, center, poses with members of his family and the 2026 Payne Stewart Award Aug. 25 during the Payne Stewart Award Ceremony in Atlanta, Ga.
DÁ’DEESTŁ’IN HÓTSAA
Diné golfer Notah Begay III received the 2026 Payne Stewart Award Aug. 25 in Atlanta, using his acceptance remarks to recognize the family members, communities and experiences that shaped his career in professional golf and his work with Native youth.
Begay, 53, became the 29th recipient of the PGA TOUR award during a ceremony at the Southern Exchange in downtown Atlanta during TOUR Championship week. The award recognizes a professional golfer for character, charity and sportsmanship.
“What an amazing ride this has been,” Begay said.
Begay played alongside Payne Stewart during his 1999 rookie season on the PGA TOUR. In his remarks, he remembered Stewart as a golfer with a large personality who played with creativity and passion and was willing to speak about what he believed was best for the sport.
Stewart, an 11-time PGA TOUR winner and three-time major champion, died in a plane crash in October 1999. The PGA TOUR established the award bearing his name the following year.
To read the full article, please see the Sept. 3, 2026, edition of the Navajo Times.
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