Payne Stewart Award Q&A with Southern Company

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Editor's note: The Southern Company is the Official Energy Sponsor of the PGA TOUR and a long-time supporter of THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola. Each year, Southern Company awards a $300,000 Payne Stewart Award Grant to support the Payne Stewart Family Foundation, The First Tee of the Ozarks and a charity of the winner's choice. Chris Womack, the Southern Company's executive vice president for external affairs, recently took time for a Q&A with PGATOUR.COM.

PGATOUR.COM: Why did Southern Company want to become involved with the Payne Stewart Award?

WOMACK: There are so many things about the Payne Stewart Award as well as about the TOUR that match with our business objectives like integrity, character and sportsmanship. We think those kind of attributes are so critical and essential for a business to be successful, and so we went out and did some branding work and some research on ways to present ourselves to the market. We just thought the TOUR was a wonderful partnership to establish. And then due to, unfortunately, Payne's untimely death we thought it was important to continue his legacy because of the many things he did for the game. Not only for being a great golfer, but a real good person, so we wanted to continue that legacy. That's why we got involved with the Payne Stewart Award.

PGATOUR.COM: You have to be pleased with this year's recipient, Kenny Perry.

WOMACK: He's a great guy. I think if you look at the attributes and the things to the Award you would look for in the recipient, Kenny embodies all of that -- from his spirituality, to his sportsmanship, to his commitment to the game, to what he's done up in Kentucky to encourage public golf being more accessible and available to the community there. Taking that all up on his own. We think he is just a wonderful recipient of the Payne Stewart Award.

PGATOUR.COM: Why is it so important to Southern Company to be involved with THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola and see the positive impact being made on the community?

WOMACK: What East Lake is being committed to in terms of making sure the history of this golf course continues but also continues to grow and keep that tradition going. But also the hope that has been given to many of the folks that live in this community that was in difficult straits in terms of drugs and alcohol and dilapidation. And so you see now all the development that has occurred out here. We're just proud to be a part with the East Lake Foundation and THE TOUR Championship and things that are going on here.

PGATOUR.COM: How have you seen THE TOUR Championship evolve over the years?

WOMACK: It has continued to grow. The enthusiasm this week for THE TOUR Championship we think is stronger than it ever has been, and there's excitement about who's going to be the winner, the excitement around the players, from the fans, the community. It just continues to grow and build, and we are just pleased to be a part of that.

PGATOUR.COM: Seeing the enthusiasm surrounding the final event of the PGA TOUR Playoff for the FedExCup must be another benefit.

WOMACK: No question. A culmination of the Regular Season, and we think it makes sense to award the winner here at THE TOUR Championship with this being the last event. We're excited about that. We think the players are excited about that, too.