Notah Begay III Receives Payne Stewart Award for Golf & Philanthropy

Notah Begay III, a Diné golfer and philanthropist, will receive the 2026 Payne Stewart Award for his character, charity, and sportsmanship. The award, presented by the Stewart Family Foundation, recognizes Begay’s success as a professional golfer and his dedication to the Notah Begay III Foundation (NB3). Since 2005, NB3 has provided sports and wellness programs to over 80,000 Native youth, expanding beyond golf to include soccer, track, and other activities.

Begay was surprised with the news at the U.S. Open while working as a golf analyst for NBC Sports. The Payne Stewart Award includes a $300,000 grant for Begay’s chosen charity and $200,000 for charities affiliated with the Stewart family.

Begay’s work is inspiring a new generation of Native golfers, with Nora Shelor of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma recently winning a division at the NB3 Junior Golf National Championship. The award will be presented on August 25 at the PGA Tour Championship in Atlanta.