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Love wins 2008 Payne Stewart Award

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-09-25 09:50

ATLANTA: Former PGA Championship winner Davis Love III, who set up a foundation to improve the lives of vulnerable children and their families, won the Payne Stewart Award on Tuesday.

"Davis epitomises everything that the Payne Stewart Award stands for in his integrity, sportsmanship and spirit of giving back," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement.

"He truly understands what it means to be a role model and has been a great ambassador for the PGA Tour and the sport of golf, both on and off the field of competition.

"He is a worthy addition to the list of distinguished gentlemen who have been honored with the Payne Stewart Award."

A 19-times winner on the PGA Tour and a veteran of six Ryder Cups, the 44-year-old Love claimed his only major title at the 1997 PGA Championship.

He established the Davis Love Foundation in 2005 to support national and community programs which focus on children and families in need.

Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Ben Crenshaw, Nick Price, Tom Watson, Jay Haas, Brad Faxon, Gary Player and Hal Sutton were previous winners of the Payne Stewart Award.

The honor is given annually to a player sharing Stewart's respect for the traditions of the game and his commitment to uphold golf's heritage of charitable support.

American Stewart, who died in a plane crash in 1999, won 11 times on the PGA Tour, including three majors.