It was quite the moment for Notah Begay III.
Notah Begay III officially named Payne Stewart Award recipient
Last weekend was a big one for Notah Begay
As this past weekend’s Open Championship was going on, viewers were treated to learning that Notah Begay III was awarded the recipient of the Payne Steward Award. It made for an incredible moment on the broadcast.
Four-time PGA TOUR winner and founder of NB3 Foundation, a national, award-winning Native-led nonprofit, Notah Begay III has been named the recipient of the Payne Stewart Award presented by Southern Company, honoring his character, sportsmanship and commitment to charitable giving.
Begay III, 53, will be honored Tuesday, August 25, at the Payne Stewart Award Ceremony in conjunction with the 2026 TOUR Championship. Golf Channel will televise the ceremony as part of a “Golf Central” special from 7-8 p.m. ET at the Southern Exchange in downtown Atlanta.
“Notah Begay III has always used his platform to make a meaningful and lasting impact, particularly within his Native American communities, and that ongoing work no doubt reflects the values of character, compassion and leadership that define the Payne Stewart Award,” said PGA TOUR CEO Brian Rolapp. “The PGA TOUR is proud to recognize Notah as the 2026 recipient of the Payne Stewart Award presented by Southern Company as we continue to honor Payne’s incredible legacy and help support the Native American youth and Tribal communities that Notah champions.”
The Payne Stewart Award is presented annually by the PGA TOUR to a professional golfer who best exemplifies Stewart’s steadfast values of character, charity and sportsmanship. Stewart, an 11-time winner on the PGA TOUR and a World Golf Hall of Fame inductee, died tragically 27 years ago during the week of the 1999 TOUR Championship. Southern Company, the Official Energy Company of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, was the TOUR Championship presenting sponsor the year of Stewart’s passing. A year later, the PGA TOUR created the Payne Stewart Award in his honor, and Southern Company has supported the annual presentation since its inception.
The only full-blooded Native American to play on the PGA TOUR, Begay III earned four TOUR victories, winning twice in both 1999 and 2000. Prior to playing on TOUR, Begay III enjoyed a standout collegiate career at Stanford University, where he was an All-America First Team selection and helped the Cardinal win the 1994 NCAA Championship.
Following his playing career, Begay III transitioned into broadcasting and has since become one of the most respected voices in the game. Begay III made his debut for Golf Channel in 2010 and joined NBC Sports in 2013 as an on-course reporter for live tournament coverage of the PGA TOUR. Today, Begay III serves as an analyst for Golf Channel.
Golf fans are well aware and familiar with Notah as a commentator, but obviously he had an impressive career as a player as well. He is as synonymous as anybody is with the world of professional golf, and it is so cool to see him honored like this.
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