Brandt Snedeker, a 43-year-old PGA Tour winner, has been awarded the 2024 Payne Stewart Award for exemplifying values of character, charity, and sportsmanship. Growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, Snedeker idolized Payne Stewart, who also hailed from Springfield, Missouri. The announcement was made at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina, a tournament where Snedeker has tasted success in the past, winning in 2007 and 2018.
Known for his precise iron play and adept putting stroke, Snedeker has won nine PGA Tour titles, including the 2012 FedEx Cup, which earned him a $10 million bonus. Following his success, Snedeker and his wife Mandy founded the Snedeker Foundation to support youth initiatives in Middle Tennessee. One of their key programs, Our Kids, offers medical evaluations and crisis counseling for children who have been victims of sexual abuse, helping over 30,000 children since its inception.
A major focus of Snedeker’s charitable efforts has been on junior golf, with initiatives like the Sneds Tour, a year-round junior golf tour with 174 events that aims to make the game more accessible to young players by providing lower entry fees. In collaboration with the Tennessee Golf Foundation, Snedeker also helped fund a practice facility for Nashville Christian School, benefiting students from both this school and the Tennessee School for the Blind.
Furthermore, Snedeker has hosted the Simmons Bank Open on the Korn Ferry Tour since 2017, raising over $1 million for various charities in the region. Snedeker’s contributions to the community have not gone unnoticed, with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan praising his commitment to improving the lives of families in Tennessee. Snedeker joins a prestigious group of past Payne Stewart Award recipients, including legends like Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer.
The Payne Stewart Award Ceremony, where Snedeker will be honored, will take place on August 27 at the Tour Championship in Atlanta and will be broadcast live on the Golf Channel. Snedeker’s dedication to philanthropy and his impact on the lives of young golfers in Tennessee have solidified his legacy as a player who embodies the values of the Payne Stewart Award. Through his foundation and support of youth initiatives, Snedeker continues to make a positive impact on and off the golf course, inspiring others to follow in his footsteps.
