Fuzzy Zoeller, a two-time major winner who brought a relaxed attitude to the PGA tour, has died. He was 74. Zoeller built a reputation as one of golf's most approachable personalities, with a quick wit that made him a fan favorite, Golf Digest reports. He turned professional in 1973, then had his major breakthrough in 1979 when he won the Andy Williams-San Diego Open. That same year, Zoeller pulled off a rare feat by winning the Masters in his tournament debut, the first time that had happened since 1935. But he was haunted for the rest of his life by a racist joke he told about Tiger Woods at the 1997 Masters, per USA Today, beginning what Zoeller later called "the worst thing I've gone through in my entire life."
Zoeller had just finished his round at Augusta when CNN asked him about Woods, who was on his way to a record-breaking, career-defining victory. He referred to Woods as "that little boy" and urged him not to request fried chicken for the Champions Dinner the next year, adding, "or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve." The outcry was immediate. Zoeller said he received death threats for years. "If people wanted me to feel the same hurt I projected on others, I'm here to tell you they got their way," he told 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." He added, "I've come to terms with the fact that this incident will never, ever go away."
The Masters victory was sealed with a memorable six-foot birdie putt in a sudden-death playoff, after which he famously tossed his putter into the air. Zoeller's other signature moment came at the 1984 US Open at Winged Foot, where he waved a white towel from the fairway, believing Norman had just made a birdie putt to beat him. Norman actually had just made par, and Zoeller won by eight shots in their playoff the next day. In all, the golfer born Frank Urban Zoeller in New Albany, Indiana, collected 19 wins worldwide and played on three Ryder Cup teams.
In a Truth Social post on Thursday, President Trump praised Zoeller as "a truly remarkable person and player." PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan released a statement calling Zoeller "a true original whose talent and charisma left an indelible mark on the game of golf," per CBS Sports. He said the golfer "combined competitive excellence with a sense of humor that endeared him to fans and fellow players alike."
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