Golfer Fuzzy Zoeller dies; two-time major champion haunted by Tiger Woods joke

By DOUG FERGUSON Associated Press Fuzzy Zoeller a two-time major champion and one of golf s largest part gregarious characters has died according to a longtime colleague He was Related Articles Toy inventor Burt Meyer who dreamed up Lite-Brite and Rock Em Sock Em Robots dies age H Rap Brown dies at former Black Panther leader was imprisoned for killing sheriff s deputy Latin singer Delarosa shot dead in Los Angeles One of the Tulsa Race Massacre s last survivors Viola Ford Fletcher dies age Dharmendra dies iconic Bollywood actor and Indian cinema s He-Man A cause of death was not straightaway available Brian Naugle the tournament director of the Insperity Invitational in Houston mentioned Zoeller s daughter called him Thursday with the news Zoeller was the last sportsman to win the Masters on his first attempt a three-man playoff in He famously waved a white towel at Winged Foot in when he thought Greg Norman had beat him only to defeat Norman in an -hole playoff the next day The last decade of his career was tainted by a comment he made publicly at the Masters Woods was on his way to a watershed moment in golf with the largest part dominant win in Augusta National history and as the defending champ would get to choose the menu for the Champions Dinner Zoeller praised the performance in a CNN interview and ended it by saying 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 He smiled and snapped his fingers and as he was walking away he turned and declared Or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve That moment haunted him the rest of his career Zoeller wrote for Golf Digest in I ve cried various times I ve apologized countless times for words explained 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 occurrence will never ever go away AP golf https apnews com hub golf