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Golf Legend Fuzzy Zoeller Passes Away at 74
The golf world is mourning the loss of a true original, two-time major champion Fuzzy Zoeller, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 74, the PGA Tour announced.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan remembered Zoeller as a figure whose “talent and charisma left an indelible mark on the game of golf.” Monahan added, “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.”
Zoeller’s illustrious career included 10 PGA Tour victories, highlighted by two major championships. His first major triumph came in spectacular fashion at the 1979 Masters, a tournament he remarkably won in his debut appearance at Augusta National.
Five years later, Zoeller etched his name into U.S. Open history with an unforgettable playoff victory over Greg Norman at Winged Foot Golf Club.
Zoeller dominated the 18-hole playoff, firing a three-under 67, while Norman finished eight strokes behind. Both Zoeller and Norman were the only players to finish under par in the four regulation rounds, carding four-under totals.
Beyond his major wins, Zoeller also secured a second-place finish at the 1981 PGA Championship and a third-place showing at the 1994 Open Championship at Turnberry. He also captured the Senior PGA Championship in 2002 and recorded another top-10 finish at the Masters.
Zoeller proudly represented the United States in three Ryder Cups (1979, 1983, and 1985), winning his first two appearances. The 1985 Ryder Cup, which saw the Great Britain team expand to include all of Europe and legendary players like Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, and Sandy Lyle, marked the first time the U.S. had lost the Ryder Cup since 1957.