{"id":316550,"date":"2025-11-29T13:52:29","date_gmt":"2025-11-29T13:52:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/316550\/"},"modified":"2025-11-29T13:52:29","modified_gmt":"2025-11-29T13:52:29","slug":"us-golf-legend-fuzzy-zoeller-dies-after-a-career-marred-by-controversy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/316550\/","title":{"rendered":"US golf legend Fuzzy Zoeller dies after a career marred by controversy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fuzzy Zoeller, a two-time major champion and one of golf\u2019s<\/a> most gregarious characters whose career was tainted by a racially insensitive joke about Tiger Woods, has died, aged 74.<\/p>\n

Zoeller was the last player to win the Masters on his first attempt, a three-man play-off in 1979.<\/p>\n

He waved a white towel famously at Winged Foot in 1984 when he thought Greg Norman had beaten him to the US Open title, only to then defeat the Australian great in an 18-hole play-off the next day.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

But it was the 1997 Masters that changed his popularity.<\/p>\n

Woods was on his way to a watershed moment in golf with the most dominant victory in Augusta National history.<\/p>\n

Zoeller had finished his round and had a drink in hand under the oak tree by the clubhouse when he was stopped by CNN and asked for his thoughts on the 21-year-old Woods.<\/p>\n

\"WinnerWinner of the US Open and Masters, Fuzzy Zoeller has died at the age of 74. Credit: AAP<\/p>\n

\u201cThat little boy is driving well and he\u2019s putting well. He\u2019s 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 not serve fried chicken next year. Got it?\u201d Zoeller said.<\/p>\n

He smiled and snapped his fingers, and as he was walking away he turned and said, \u201cOr collard greens, or whatever the hell they serve.\u201d<\/p>\n

That moment haunted him the rest of his career, years after he had been awarded the Bob Jones Award in 1985, the USGA\u2019s highest honour given for distinguished sportsmanship..<\/p>\n

Zoeller apologised. Woods was travelling and it took two weeks for him to comment as the controversy festered. Zoeller later said he received death threats for years after that moment.<\/p>\n

Writing for Golf Digest in 2008, he said it was \u201cthe worst thing I\u2019ve gone through in my entire life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf people wanted me to feel the same hurt I projected on others, I\u2019m here to tell you they got their way,\u201d Zoeller wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve cried many times. I\u2019ve apologised countless times for words said in jest that just aren\u2019t a reflection of who I am. I have hundreds of friends, including people of colour, who will attest to that.<\/p>\n

\u201cStill, I\u2019ve come to terms with the fact that this incident will never, ever go away.\u201d<\/p>\n

It marred a career filled with two famous major titles, eight other PGA Tour titles and a Senior PGA Championship among his two PGA Tour Champions titles.<\/p>\n

Born Frank Urban Zoeller Jr in New Albany, Indiana, he said his father was known only as \u201cFuzzy\u201d and he was given the same name.<\/p>\n

\"Zoeller\u2019sZoeller\u2019s legacy will be forever tainted by his Tiger Woods comments. Credit: US PGA TOUR<\/p>\n

More than winning was how he went about it. Zoeller played fast and still had an easy-going nature to the way he approached the game, often whistling between shots.<\/p>\n

He made his Masters debut in 1979 and got into a three-way playoff when Ed Sneed bogeyed the last three holes. Zoeller defeated Sneed and Tom Watson with a birdie on the second play-off hole, flinging his putter high in the air.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never been to heaven, and thinking back on my life, I probably won\u2019t get a chance to go,\u201d Zoeller once said. \u201cI guess winning the Masters is as close as I\u2019m going to get.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zoeller was locked in a duel with Norman at Winged Foot in the 1984 US Open, playing in the group behind and watching Norman make putt after putt.<\/p>\n

So when he saw Norman make a 40-footer on the 18th, he assumed it was for birdie and began waving a white towel in a moment of sportsmanship.<\/p>\n

Only later did he realise it was for par, and Zoeller made par to force a playoff.<\/p>\n

Zoeller beat him by eight shots in the 18-hole playoff (67-75). Zoeller\u2019s lone regret was giving the towel to a kid after he finished in regulation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you happen to see a grungy white towel hanging around, get it for me, will you?\u201d he once smiled.<\/p>\n

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