Fuzzy Zoeller, the skilled golfer who gained a Masters, a U.S. Open and thousands and thousands of followers along with his gregarious persona, has died. He was 74.
Zoeller’s loss of life was introduced Thursday by his daughter. His trigger and placement of loss of life weren’t launched.
Although he earned legions of followers, Zoeller’s profession took a nosedive after he made a racist joke about Tiger Woods on the 1997 Masters. Woods was in the course of a dominant victory when Zoeller commented on what he would serve on the following 12 months’s champions dinner.
“That little boy is driving well and he’s putting well. He’s doing everything it takes to win. 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 to not serve fried chicken next year,” Zoeller mentioned. “Or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve.”
The feedback haunted Zoeller for the remainder of his profession and even out of the highlight following his retirement. He apologized quite a few instances however by no means lived them down.
“If people wanted me to feel the same hurt I projected on others, I’m here to tell you they got their way,” Zoeller wrote in Golf Digest in 2008. “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.”
Fuzzy Zoeller hits the ball through the 1985 Skins Sport at Bear Creek in San Diego, California. (Mike Powell/Getty Photos)
Born Frank City Zoeller Jr. in New Albany, Ind., Zoeller mentioned his father was identified solely as “Fuzzy” and he was given the identical identify. He performed golf at a junior school in Florida, then started his skilled profession within the Nineteen Seventies. In 1979, he performed in his first ever Masters — and gained the entire thing.
Zoeller fell right into a three-way playoff with Ed Sneed and Tom Watson after Sneed bogeyed the ultimate three holes. He gained the playoff on the second second-death gap and stays the latest individual to win the Masters of their first try.
5 years later, Zoeller was again in one other main playoff on the 1984 U.S. Open. In the course of the last regulation spherical, he noticed Greg Norman make a 40-foot putt on the 18th gap and, assuming he’d misplaced, started waving a white towel in give up.
It was solely after ending his spherical that Zoeller realized he’d really tied Norman and could be coming again the subsequent day for an 18-hole playoff. He gained by eight strokes for his second main title.
Zoeller gained eight smaller tournaments all through his profession as nicely. In 1985, he was awarded the Bob Jones Award by the USGA, the group’s highest honor given for distinguished sportsmanship.
He additionally gained hordes of followers along with his informal, fast play fashion and folksy method.
“I’ve never been to heaven, and thinking back on my life, I probably won’t get a chance to go,” Zoeller as soon as mentioned. “I guess winning the Masters is as close as I’m going to get.”
Zoeller was preceded in loss of life by his spouse, Diane, who died in 2021. He’s survived by 4 kids, together with daughter Gretchen, with whom he used to play within the PNC Championship.
