Dec. 18, 2004 – Jay Haas has been named the recipient of the 2004 Payne Stewart Award. The award is named after Stewart, an 11-time winner on the PGA Tour who died in an aviation accident the week of the 1999 Tour Championship.

The PGA Tour Policy Board created the award to perpetuate Stewart's memory. It is presented annually to a player sharing Stewart's respect for the traditions of the game, his commitment to uphold the game's heritage of charitable support and his professional and meticulous presentation of himself and the sport through his dress and conduct.

Haas has won nine PGA Tour events in his career, but has seen a resurgence in his game over the past two years, finishing 15th on the 2003 PGA Tour money list while ending 27th this year. He also made his Champions Tour debut, playing in three events.

The Payne Stewart Award is accompanied by an annual Payne Stewart Award Grant presented by Southern Company. The $300,000 grant will support several initiatives in Stewart's name and be distributed as follows:

--$100,000 to Payne and Tracey Stewart's primary charity, The Stewart Family Foundation.
--$100,000 in Stewart's honor to The First Tee facility in Missouri, located at Camp Kanakuk, which is affiliated with the "Kids Across America" program.
--$100,000 to a charity designated by Haas.

Haas has been a longtime supporter of Greenville, S.C.-area charities, raising more than $1 million over the years. After seeing family members battle the effects of diseases such as ALS and Cystic Fibrosis, Haas has enthusiastically supported the ALS Association and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in an effort to find a cure for these diseases.

Source: The PGA Tour