Fuzzy Zoeller
| Fuzzy Zoeller | |
|---|---|
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| Personnel | |
| Nation: |
 United States
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| Career data | |
| Professional since: | 1973 |
| Current tour: | Champions Tour |
| Tournament wins: | 19th |
| Major wins : | 2 (1979, 1984) |
| Awards: | Bob Jones Award (1985) |
Frank Urban "Fuzzy" Zoeller, Jr. (born November 11, 1951 in New Albany , Indiana ) is an American professional golfer and two-time major winner.
Zoeller is one of only three golfers who won the Masters when they first played (1979) . It was easier for the other two because they were the winners of the first two Masters in 1934 and 1935, Horton Smith and Gene Sarazen . His second major victory came in 1984 at the US Open .
In 1985 Zoeller received the United States Golf Association's highest honor , the Bob Jones Award .
In 2002, as a senior golfer, he turned to the Champions Tour and won the Senior PGA Championship , a Senior Major , that same year . He managed to win another tournament there in 2004.
Fuzzy Zoeller is known for his casual sayings during and after the round, but once, in 1997 at the Masters, shot a little over the target. With a drink in hand, he said after his lousy final round of 78 about Tiger Woods :
"That little boy is driving well and he's putting well. 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 to serve fried chicken next year. Got it? "
Then he laughed, snapped his fingers and left, turned around and said:
"Or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve."
Zoeller's statements were seen as racially discriminatory. This includes calling Woods a "little boy" and making allusions about the food choices. The Masters winner traditionally invites you to dinner at next year's tournament and has the choice of menu. There is a prejudice among white Americans that African Americans eat mostly fried chicken and collard greens . After violent protests, also among his sponsors, Zoeller apologized to Woods , who accepted the apology.
PGA Tour victories
- 1979 (2) Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational , The Masters
- 1981 (1) Colonial National Invitation
- 1983 (2) Sea Pines Heritage , Panasonic Las Vegas Pro Celebrity Classic
- 1984 (1) US Open
- 1985 (1) Hertz Bay Hill Classic
- 1986 (3) AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am , Sea Pines Heritage , Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic
Major championships are in bold .
Champions Tour victories
- 2002 Senior PGA Championship
- 2004 MasterCard Championship
Senior Major Championship in bold .
Other tournament victories
- 1972 Florida State Junior College Championship (individual)
- 1973 Indiana State amateur
- 1985 Skins Game
- 1986 Skins Game
- 1987 Merrill Lynch Shoot-Out Championship
- 2002 Senior Slam
- 2003 Tylenol Par-3 Challenge
See also
Web links
- Official website (English)
- Player profile on the PGA Tour ( Memento from August 31, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Zoeller, fuzzy |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Zoeller, Frank Urban junior; Zoeller, Fuzzy junior (nickname) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American golfer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 11, 1951 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | New Albany , Indiana , USA |