We are incredibly honored to celebrate Paul Azinger as the recipient of the 2025 Payne Stewart Award! Last night’s ceremony was a beautiful recognition of Paul and Toni Azinger’s extraordinary character, sportsmanship, and unwavering commitment to giving back to those who need it most.
Beyond the Golf Course: A Legacy of Compassion
While Paul Azinger’s accomplishments on the golf course are well-documented, it’s his work off the course that truly sets him apart. Together with his wife Toni, Paul has dedicated his life to serving vulnerable children and struggling families, embodying the values that the Payne Stewart Award represents.
The Payne Stewart Award, presented annually by the PGA TOUR, recognizes a professional golfer who best exemplifies Stewart’s steadfast values of character, charity, and sportsmanship. In Paul Azinger, we see these qualities lived out daily through his profound commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.
The Azinger Family Compassion Center: A Hub of Hope
As a member of One More Child’s CEO Council, Paul’s vision was instrumental in bringing the Azinger Family Compassion Center to life. Established in 2021 in Palmetto, this 12,000-square-foot facility serves as a vital distribution hub, providing essential resources to those who need them most throughout Manatee and Sarasota counties.
The center operates with a powerful mission: to help vulnerable individuals and families break the cycle of poverty. Through partnerships with individuals, businesses, churches, and community groups, the facility provides food, clothing, diapers, hygiene items, and other tangible supplies to foster children, hungry children, single moms, and struggling families.
The impact has been remarkable. Last year alone, in the wake of two major back-to-back hurricanes that devastated Florida communities, One More Child provided 5 million meals, more than 300,000 diapers, and countless other essential items through its compassion centers to those in the hardest-hit areas. The Azinger Family Compassion Center played a crucial role in this relief effort, demonstrating how local vision can create national impact.
Toni Azinger: A Powerful Advocate
Toni Azinger stands as an equally powerful force for good, serving as co-chair of One More Child’s Women of Compassion Council. Her leadership and advocacy work, particularly in the organization’s Anti-Trafficking Program, have been instrumental in raising awareness and driving action against one of society’s most pressing issues.
Together, Paul and Toni represent a partnership dedicated to compassion in action, using their platform and influence to shine light on issues that might otherwise remain in the shadows.
Taking on Human Trafficking: A Call to Action
One of the most significant aspects of Paul and Toni’s work involves their commitment to fighting human trafficking. Each year, they join One More Child for Traffick Stop, the organization’s annual Anti-Trafficking event at the Florida Capitol. This powerful gathering unites legislators, survivors, law enforcement officials, nonprofits, and faith leaders to raise awareness and call for concrete action against child trafficking.
Additionally, Paul and Toni host the annual “Teeing Off to Stop Human Trafficking” golf tournament, bringing their community together to drive awareness and raise vital support for this critical fight. Through this event, they’ve created a unique platform that combines their love of golf with their passion for protecting vulnerable children.
A Monumental Impact: Local Roots, National Reach
While the Azinger Family Compassion Center serves as a local hub in Palmetto, its impact extends far beyond Florida’s borders. One More Child, the organization Paul and Toni champion, operates in 26 states and 19 countries around the world, meeting the needs of foster children, hungry children, single moms, struggling families, and sex-trafficked children and teens.
The numbers speak to the magnitude of this work: In 2023 alone, One More Child provided direct services to 250,259 children and individuals while impacting an additional 143,334 individuals through advocacy, training, awareness, and volunteering opportunities. The organization provided more than 19 million meals nationally and globally.
Paul and Toni’s vision is helping to expand this reach even further. Plans are currently underway for compassion centers in Tampa and Jacksonville as One More Child continues to expand its services locally, nationally, and globally. The Harold Clark Simmons Compassion Center in Lakeland already serves central Florida and other regions across the nation, creating a network of hope and support.
Character in Action
What makes Paul Azinger’s recognition so meaningful is how it represents character in action. This isn’t about charity as an afterthought or occasional giving—it’s about a fundamental commitment to using one’s platform, resources, and influence to create lasting change in the lives of those who need it most.
Paul’s journey from PGA TOUR professional to compassionate advocate demonstrates that true success is measured not just in victories on the golf course, but in the lives touched and transformed through service to others. His and Toni’s deep dedication to children and families in need reflects the very best of what it means to give back.
A Night of Celebration and Recognition
The award ceremony itself was a remarkable gathering of individuals united by their commitment to making a difference. Among those in attendance were Dr. Jerry Haag, CEO of the One More Child Foundation, and his wife Christi Haag. Dr. Haag’s leadership of the One More Child Foundation has been instrumental in expanding the reach and impact of the organization’s work.
The evening brought together not only those dedicated to humanitarian causes but also well-known golfers who came to honor Paul’s achievements both on and off the course. This gathering of the golf community alongside advocates for vulnerable children created a powerful testament to how sports can serve as a platform for meaningful change.
A Testament to Compassion
The 2025 Payne Stewart Award recognition is more than an honor; it’s a celebration of lives lived in service to others. Paul and Toni Azinger have created a legacy that extends far beyond golf, touching countless lives through their unwavering commitment to compassion and justice.
Their work with One More Child, from the Azinger Family Compassion Center to their anti-trafficking advocacy, represents hope in action. In a world that often feels divided, Paul and Toni remind us of the power that comes from using our gifts and platforms to lift up the most vulnerable among us.
As we celebrate Paul receiving this well-deserved recognition, we’re reminded that true champions are defined not just by their victories in competition, but by their commitment to making the world a better place for others. Paul and Toni Azinger embody this truth, and we are incredibly proud to celebrate them.
To watch Paul’s full award acceptance speech, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5d91wo7qLM&ab_channel=GolfChannel
One More Child operates in 26 states and 19 countries, serving foster children, hungry children, single moms, struggling families, and trafficking survivors. Learn more about their work and how you can get involved at onemorechild.org.