The world of golf is mourning the loss of Frank Urban 'Fuzzy' Zoeller Jr., a two-time major champion known as much for his gregarious personality as for the racially charged joke about Tiger Woods that came to define his later career. He was 74.
A Career of Highs and Lows
Zoeller's career was a tale of spectacular triumphs and one profound, lasting regret. Born in New Albany, Indiana, he inherited the nickname 'Fuzzy' from his father and carved out a reputation as one of the game's most easy-going characters, often whistling his way between shots.
His breakthrough came at the 1979 Masters, where he made history. Zoeller became the last player to win the prestigious tournament on his first attempt, clinching victory in a three-man playoff against Ed Sneed and Tom Watson with a birdie on the second extra hole. The moment was immortalised when a jubilant Zoeller flung his putter high into the Augusta air.
Another iconic moment came at the 1984 US Open at Winged Foot. locked in a duel with Australian great Greg Norman, Zoeller was playing in the group behind. When he saw Norman sink a 40-foot putt on the 18th, he assumed it was for a birdie and began waving a white towel in a gesture of sporting surrender. He soon discovered the putt was actually for par, and Zoeller himself made par to force an 18-hole playoff, which he won decisively by eight shots.
The 1997 Masters and a Lasting Shadow
However, Zoeller's legacy was irrevocably changed during the 1997 Masters. As a 21-year-old Tiger Woods was dominating the field on his way to a historic victory, Zoeller, finished with his round and drink in hand, was asked for his thoughts by CNN.
In a moment that would haunt him forever, Zoeller smiled and said, "That little boy is driving well and he’s putting well... 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?" As he walked away, he added, "Or collard greens, or whatever the hell they serve."
The comment, laden with racial stereotypes, sparked immediate controversy. Zoeller apologised, but the damage was done. The incident overshadowed his previous achievements, including the Bob Jones Award he received in 1985, the USGA's highest honour for sportsmanship.
A Legacy of Regret
In the years that followed, Zoeller expressed profound remorse. He revealed he received death threats and described the fallout as "the worst thing I’ve gone through in my entire life." Writing for Golf Digest in 2008, he acknowledged the pain he caused and stated he had "cried many times" over the remark.
"I’ve come to terms with the fact that this incident will never, ever go away," Zoeller wrote. Despite his public contrition, the joke remained a dark cloud over a career that included two major championships, eight other PGA Tour wins, and a Senior PGA Championship title.
Fuzzy Zoeller's story is a complex one in the annals of golf—a player of immense talent and charisma whose career will forever be remembered for both his glorious victories and his deeply regrettable words.
