Payne at Pinehurst: The Greatest U.S. Open Ever Book

It has been called the greatest U.S. Open in the Open's more than one-hundred-year history. In Payne at Pinehurst, veteran sports journalist Bill Chastain crafts the dramatic story of the 1999 U.S. Open by combining extensive research with interviews of those who made this a unique event. Central to this amazing story is Payne Stewart. Stewart held a four-shot lead heading into the final day of the 1998 U.S. Open only to suffer a devastating defeat at the hands of his old nemesis, Lee Janzen.How does a professional golfer take such an emotional shot and go back for more? Payne at Pinehurst details how Stewart chose to return to the arena and compete for the championship that meant so much to him.Known for the fashion statements he made each week on the PGA Tour wearing his plus fours and tam, Stewart had worked hard to become a better person and find peace in his life. His journey after losing the '98 Open to making a special showing a year later was made possible in large part to his introspection and courage in discovering the person within. A legendary golf tournament requires a legendary course. Pinehurst No. 2, located in the Sandhills of North Carolina, hosted the '99 Open. Designed by renowned golf-course architect Donald Ross, Pinehurst No. 2 had long been recognized as one of the best courses in the world, yet it had never hosted a U.S. Open. The course vastly differed from other "U.S. Open-type" courses. Bill Chastain analyzes how such an old course, with its unique dangers, could stymie the top golfers in the world and prevent them from going low.Stewart's conquest of Pinehurst No. 2, while fending off Mickelson, Tiger Woods, David Duval, and Vijay Singh in an epic battle where every swing held significance, is the stuff of which golf legends are made. From compelling action by the best golfers in the world to the tournament's dramatic conclusion, Payne at Pinehurst shows readers why the 1999 U.S. Open is regarded as the best U.S. Open ever played.Read More