Payne Stewart, an SMU alum and two-time U.S. Open champion envisioned a permanent home for the Mustang golf programs during his time at SMU. A constant competitor in the top-25 golf programs in the country, SMU can now say they have their own unique training facility.

The ground breaking ceremony for the Payne Stewart Golf Learning Center took place on June 15, as part of SMU’s Second Century Campaign. A partnership with the Dallas Athletic Center enabled construction to begin, and will feature two indoor hitting bays, a video swing analysis, a team clubhouse with men’s and women’s locker rooms, a Hall of Champions, a four-hole short course and two putting greens, according to a press release on smumustangs.com.

“This golf complex will help our golf teams remain among the elite in collegiate golf while we maintain the high academic performance of our golf student-athletes,” said SMU Director of Athletics Steve Orsini in the press release.

According to the release, “the facility will also be an instrumental component of SMU’s successful recruitment of outstanding young golfers who will carry on the tradition Stewart established as a student-athlete and professional golfer.”

Payne credited much of his success to his time spent on the Hilltop to his success of turning pro in 1979.

A former member of Phi Gamma Delta, Payne has been followed on campus by his son, Aaron, 20, a redshirt freshman golfer.

While not seeing any playing time on the varsity team this past season, Aaron finished third at the CPT National Championship at Texas Star and posted a second place finish at the Collegiate Players Tour event at Lagoon Park Golf Course in Montgomery, Ala.

The facility is in memory of Stewart, who died when his plane depressurized when flying from Orlando to Dallas in October 1999.