Fuzzy Zoeller, the two-time major champion known for his quick play, easygoing manner and memorable personality, has died at 74, the PGA Tour said Thursday. The tour’s leadership praised Zoeller as an original figure whose skill and charisma made a lasting impression on the game and extended condolences to his family.
A cause of death was not immediately released. Brian Naugle, tournament director of the Insperity Invitational in Houston, said he learned of Zoeller’s passing from Zoeller’s daughter.
Zoeller’s biggest victories came at the Masters in 1979 and the U.S. Open in 1984. He remains the last player to win the Masters on his first attempt, prevailing in a three-way playoff in 1979. At the 1984 U.S. Open at Winged Foot, Zoeller dramatically waved a white towel on the 18th hole when he thought his chance was gone, only to rally and defeat Greg Norman in an 18-hole playoff the following day.
Beyond those majors, Zoeller won eight additional PGA Tour events and added two titles on the PGA Tour Champions circuit, including the Senior PGA Championship. In recognition of his sportsmanship, the U.S. Golf Association awarded him the Bob Jones Award in 1985.
Born Frank Urban Zoeller Jr. in New Albany, Indiana, he picked up the nickname “Fuzzy” from his father. Zoeller played junior college golf in Florida before joining the University of Houston program and eventually turning professional. He was known on course for his brisk pace, frequent whistling between shots and an approachable style that made him popular with fans. Reflecting on his Masters victory later in life, he often joked that winning at Augusta was as close to heaven as he’d ever been.
Zoeller’s long career was also shadowed by a widely condemned incident at the 1997 Masters, when he made a racially insensitive remark about Tiger Woods. He apologized repeatedly afterward and later wrote that the episode — and the backlash and threats that followed — were among the most painful experiences of his life.
His wife, Diane, died in 2021. He is survived by three children, including daughter Gretchen, with whom he frequently teamed up for the PNC Championship. Former President Donald Trump noted Zoeller’s passing on social media, highlighting his major victories and saying he would be missed.
Zoeller leaves a complex legacy: a player celebrated for major triumphs, a distinctive and entertaining presence on the course, and a public controversy he worked for years to address.