Fuzzy Zoeller, one of the most colorful golfers in PGA Tour history, has died.
He was 74.
The PGA Tour announced his death Thursday on X.
“The PGA Tour is saddened by the passing of Fuzzy Zoeller,” Jay Monahan, commissioner of the PGA Tour, said in a statement. “Fuzzy was a true original whose talent and charisma left an indelible mark on the game of golf. Fuzzy combined competitive excellence with a sense of humor that endeared him to fans and fellow players alike. We celebrate his remarkable legacy and extend our deepest condolences to his family.”
According to a report by USA Today, there was no cause of death revealed for the 10-time PGA Tour winner.
Zoeller was known for his humor as much as his golf skills.
However, he never quite escaped the controversy that occurred when he made an insensitive racist comment about Tiger Woods.
As Woods was on the cusp of winning the 1997 Masters, Zoeller referred to him as “that little boy.”
He also encouraged Woods not to request fried chicken or collard greens for the Champions Dinner before the following year’s Masters.
“That little boy is driving well and he’s putting well,’’ Zoeller said to CNN, according to the Associated Press. “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 not serve fried chicken next year. Got it?”
As he walked away, Zoeller turned back and said, “Or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve,” per the AP.
Zoeller apologized but the the stigma never went away.
“I am a fun-loving person,’’ he said. “I make joke, cut jokes all the time. My apologies if somebody interpreted that into a racial remark.’’
“I’ve cried many times,’’ Zoeller wrote for Golf Digest in 2008. “I’ve apologized countless times for words said in jest that just aren’t a reflection of who I am. I have hundreds of friends, including people of color, who will attest to that. Still, I’ve come to terms with the fact that this incident will never, ever go away.”
Zoeller won The Masters in 1979 and the U.S. Open in 1984. He also won two times on the PGA Tour Champions.
