Fuzzy Zoeller, a two-time majors champion and a 10-time winner on the PGA Tour, has died at age 74.
Zoeller’s career was overshadowed by a controversial comment he made about Tiger Woods in 1997.
The USGA announced the news on Zoeller on Thursday but did not list the cause or date of death.
“Fuzzy was one of a kind,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan. “We are grateful for all he gave to golf. I hope we can all remember his unmistakable joy. The USGA is sending our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan also issued a statement.
“The PGA Tour is saddened by the passing of Fuzzy Zoeller,” Monahan said. “Fuzzy was a true original whose talent and charisma left an indelible mark on the game of golf. Fuzzy combined competitive excellence with a sense of humor that endeared him to fans and fellow players alike. We celebrate his remarkable legacy and extend our deepest condolences to his family.”
Zoeller was born Frank Urban Zoeller Jr., in New Albany, Ind., and got his nickname when the first three letters of his first, middle and last names were combined. Fuzzy went on to play college golf at Houston and turned pro in 1973.
In 1979, he made his first appearance in the Masters Tournament and was tied with Tom Watson and Ed Sneed at the end of regulation. He dropped in a 6-foot birdie putt on the second hole of sudden death to win the Masters. He was the first player since Gene Sarazen in 1935 to win his debut in Augusta, Ga.
“I’ve never been to heaven, and thinking back on my life, I probably won’t get a chance to go,” Zoeller once said, according to the USGA. “I guess winning the Masters is as close as I’m going to get.”
At Winged Foot in 1984, the 32-year-old Zoeller found himself in another playoff at a major, this time tied with Australian Greg Norman after regulation in the U.S. Open. It was an 18-round playoff and Zoeller shot a 67 to easily defeat Norman by eight strokes.
Zoeller finished second in the 1981 PGA Championship and third at The Open Championship in 1994. Later, on what now is called the Tour Champions, he won two tournaments, including the 2022 Senior PGA Championship.
In 1985, the USGA presented him with the Bob Jones Award for sportsmanship. But his reputation took a significant hit in 1997, the year the 21-year-old Woods won his first major championship at Augusta, defeating Tom Kite by a record-breaking 12 strokes.
CNN asked him about Woods in an interview at the tournament that year.
Part of his answer drew harsh criticism because of its racial undertone.
“So, you know what you guys do when he gets in here? You pat him on the back and say congratulations and enjoy it and tell him not serve fried chicken next year. Got it?”
He added: “Or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve.”
Those comments followed Zoeller for years.
“I’ve cried many times. I’ve apologized countless times for words said in jest that just aren’t a reflection of who I am,” he wrote for Golf Digest in 1998. “I have hundreds of friends, including people of color, who will attest to that. Still, I’ve come to terms with the fact that this incident will never, ever go away.”
Zoeller is survived by the four children he shared with his wife, Diane, who died in 2021 after 45 years of marriage, and several grandchildren.
–Field Level Media
