Fuzzy Zoeller, a two-time main champion, has handed away aged 74.
Zoeller was the final participant to win the Masters on his first try, in a three-man playoff in 1979. He famously waved a white towel at Winged Foot in 1984 when he thought Greg Norman had beat him, solely to defeat Norman in an 18-hole playoff the subsequent day.
Zoeller had a profession full of two main titles, eight different PGA Tour titles and a Senior PGA Championship amongst his two PGA Tour Champions titles.
Nevertheless, it was the 1997 Masters that modified his reputation after he was embroiled in a racism incident for a remark he directed in direction of Tiger Woods on his approach to victory.
Zoeller apologised for the remark however later mentioned it haunted his profession and wrote in Golf Digest in 2008 that it was “the worst thing I’ve gone through in my entire life.”
He was born Frank City Zoeller Jr. in New Albany, Indiana. Zoeller mentioned his father was identified solely as “Fuzzy” and he was given the identical identify. He performed at a junior faculty in Florida earlier than becoming a member of the highly effective Houston golf crew earlier than turning professional.
His spouse, Diane, died in 2021. Zoeller has three youngsters, together with daughter Gretchen, with whom he used to play within the PNC Championship. Zoeller was awarded the Bob Jones Award by the USGA in 1985, the organisation’s highest honour given for distinguished sportsmanship.
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