Masters champion Fuzzy Zoeller dies at 74
Fuzzy Zoeller, a two-time major champion and the last golfer to win the Masters on his first attempt (1979), died at age 74, a longtime colleague said on Nov. 27, 2025. Brian Naugle, tournament director of the Insperity Invitational in Houston, said Zoeller’s daughter called with the news; a cause of death was not immediately available. Zoeller also won the 1984 U.S. Open and later apologized for racially insensitive remarks about Tiger Woods that shadowed his career.
📌 Key Facts
- Death confirmed by Brian Naugle after a call from Zoeller’s daughter; cause of death not yet known
- Zoeller won the 1979 Masters on debut and the 1984 U.S. Open after an 18-hole playoff
- His 1997 comments about Tiger Woods drew widespread backlash; he apologized repeatedly in subsequent years
📊 Relevant Data
Tiger Woods became the first Black golfer to win the Masters Tournament in 1997.
The inside story of Tiger Woods' historic 1997 Masters win — Today's Golfer
The PGA of America enforced a 'Caucasian-only' clause that barred Black golfers from competing in its events until 1961.
About UGA | United Golfers Association History Since 1925 — United Golfers Association
As of 2022, professional golfers on the PGA Tour are 80% White, 11% Asian, 8% Latinx, and 2% Black.
By the numbers: Diversity — Grant Thornton
In 2019, African Americans made up just 3 percent of the country's golfers despite comprising a larger share of the population.
A Place in the Game — USGA
African American golfers numbered roughly 1.5 million in 2007 during Tiger Woods' rise but declined to about 800,000 by 2018.
Why Golf Is Still Struggling to Reflect Black America — African American Golfers Digest