Local PGA Pro Hepler Has Fond Memories Of Stewart
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
"I played with him in his first professional tournament in Chicago in 1979, and we became friends," said Hepler, owner of the local Raccoon Run Golf Course. "But that's just the way he was. He made friends with everyone he played with."
After that first meeting in 1979, Hepler and Stewart ran into each other several times and got to be good friends. In fact, Hepler persuaded Stewart to come to Warsaw in 1993 for the Stonehenge Pro Am.
"The Stonehenge Pro Am charity event was held eight years in a row, from '89 to '97," said Hepler. "I finally talked him into coming in 1993. I had asked him to come for it every year, but he usually had other tournaments or commitments."
That year turned out to be one of the most successful for the event. Jim Gallagher was at the event the same year, and just two weeks later, he and Stewart competed as members of the Ryder Cup team.
"We had two of the 12 players on the Ryder Cup team here," said Hepler. "It was an awesome turnout."
But Hepler's fondest memory of Stewart did not come on the golf course. It came at Stewart's wedding in Australia.
"We were playing on the Australian Tour, and he got married between tournaments," said Hepler. "I was one of the handful of Americans who was there at the wedding and the reception."
However, the wedding did not go as smoothly as Stewart had planned.
"His wife Tracey was from Australia, and in Australia there is a tradition that the woman shows up late for the wedding," said Hepler. "For an hour-and-a-half we sat on the front step of the church and had Payne convinced Tracey was not going to show. Finally, she did show up and they got married."
Two weeks later, Hepler and Stewart flew to Manila to play in the Ferdinand Marcos Cup. Over the years, they played together many times and spent a lot of time together so when Hepler heard the news of Stewart's unexpected death in a plane crash Monday afternoon, he was astounded.
"I feel shock, disbelief and sadness," said Hepler. "I am thankful he accepted Christ into his life in the past couple of years. He came to the church through his children. I am thankful for that." [[In-content Ad]]
"I played with him in his first professional tournament in Chicago in 1979, and we became friends," said Hepler, owner of the local Raccoon Run Golf Course. "But that's just the way he was. He made friends with everyone he played with."
After that first meeting in 1979, Hepler and Stewart ran into each other several times and got to be good friends. In fact, Hepler persuaded Stewart to come to Warsaw in 1993 for the Stonehenge Pro Am.
"The Stonehenge Pro Am charity event was held eight years in a row, from '89 to '97," said Hepler. "I finally talked him into coming in 1993. I had asked him to come for it every year, but he usually had other tournaments or commitments."
That year turned out to be one of the most successful for the event. Jim Gallagher was at the event the same year, and just two weeks later, he and Stewart competed as members of the Ryder Cup team.
"We had two of the 12 players on the Ryder Cup team here," said Hepler. "It was an awesome turnout."
But Hepler's fondest memory of Stewart did not come on the golf course. It came at Stewart's wedding in Australia.
"We were playing on the Australian Tour, and he got married between tournaments," said Hepler. "I was one of the handful of Americans who was there at the wedding and the reception."
However, the wedding did not go as smoothly as Stewart had planned.
"His wife Tracey was from Australia, and in Australia there is a tradition that the woman shows up late for the wedding," said Hepler. "For an hour-and-a-half we sat on the front step of the church and had Payne convinced Tracey was not going to show. Finally, she did show up and they got married."
Two weeks later, Hepler and Stewart flew to Manila to play in the Ferdinand Marcos Cup. Over the years, they played together many times and spent a lot of time together so when Hepler heard the news of Stewart's unexpected death in a plane crash Monday afternoon, he was astounded.
"I feel shock, disbelief and sadness," said Hepler. "I am thankful he accepted Christ into his life in the past couple of years. He came to the church through his children. I am thankful for that." [[In-content Ad]]