Who's who: Fuzzy Zoeller

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Who's who: Fuzzy Zoeller

  • Name:

    Frank Urban "Fuzzy" Zoeller Jr.
  • Country:

    USA
  • Born:

    Nov 11, 1951 in New Albany, Floyd County, Indiana.
  • Original/Home Club:

    New Albany, IN
  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer
  • Turned Pro:

    1973

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (2): The Masters (1979); US Open (1984). Senior MAJORS (1): Senior PGA Ch'ship (2002). Ryder Cup player (1979, '83, '85). Total professional wins 19, including PGA Tour (10) and Champions Tour (2).

Did you know?

After a successful amateur career Zoeller turned professional in 1973, with a first win on the PGA Tour coming in January 1979. A couple of months later he became the first player since Gene Sarazen in 1935 to win The Masters at his first attempt.

A career haul of 10 PGA Tour victories, including two major championships, was followed on the Champions Tour by a senior major win in 2002, and one further individual win on the seniors Tour.

Top tournaments won by Fuzzy Zoeller

2009
America
13 skins
$530,000
Wendy's

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

13 skins

Prize money

$530,000

Title sponsor

Wendy's

Played as Wendy's Champions Skins Game (Jan 17/18; unofficial Champions Tr money event; four 2-man teams; alternate shot format). Fuzzy Zoeller & Ben Crenshaw won with a total of 13 skins worth a record $530,000. Second was Greg Norman (Aus) & Jay Haas 4 skins worth $190,000. Third was Gary Player (RSA) & Bernhard Langer (Ger) 1 skin worth $50,000. Jack Nicklaus & Tom Watson were shutout with no skins. (All players from USA unless indicated otherwise). [Royal Ka'anapali GC, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii].

2008
America
6 skins
$320,000
Wendy's

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

6 skins

Prize money

$320,000

Title sponsor

Wendy's

Played as Wendy's Champions Skins Game (Feb 23/24; unofficial Champions Tr money event; four 2-man teams; alternate shot format). Fuzzy Zoeller & Peter Jacobsen won with a total of 6 skins worth $320,000. Second was Jack Nicklaus & Tom Watson 8 skins worth $270,000. Third was Gary Player (RSA) & Loren Roberts 4 skins worth $180,000. Arnold Palmer & Jay Haas were shutout with no skins. (All players from USA unless indicated otherwise). [Royal Ka'anapali GC, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii].

2004
America
196 (-20)
$268,000
MasterCard

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

196 (-20)

Prize money

$268,000

Title sponsor

MasterCard

Played as the MasterCard Championship (Jan 23-25; Champions Tour season-opener). Second-placed and defending champion Dana Quigley (USA) finished 1 shot behind Fuzzy Zoeller (USA), who recorded the second of his two Champions Tour wins. [Hualālai course, Hualālai Resort, Big Island, Hawaii].

2002
America
138 (-6)
$300,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

138 (-6)

Prize money

$300,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the (last) Senior Slam (Nov 9/10; unofficial Snr PGA Tr event, for the year's four senior major winners). Second-placed Don Pooley (USA; US Snr Open) finished 1 shot behind Zoeller (USA; Snr PGA). Stewart Ginn (Aus; Snr Plyrs) was third and Jim Thorpe (USA; The Tradition) fourth. [Lost Gold course, Superstition Mtn G&CC, nr Phoenix, AZ].

2002
Majors
278 (-2)
$360,000
PGA of America

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Venue

Score

278 (-2)

Prize money

$360,000

Title sponsor

PGA of America

Played as the Senior PGA Championship (June 6-9). Second-placed Hale Irwin (USA) and Bobby Wadkins (USA) finished 2 shots behind Zoeller (USA), who won his first and only senior major title. [South course, Firestone CC, Akron, Ohio].

1986
America
205 (-11)
$108,000
AT&T

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

205 (-11)

Prize money

$108,000

Title sponsor

AT&T

Played as the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (Jan 30-Feb 2). Second-placed Payne Stewart (USA) finished 5 shots behind Zoeller (USA). Event reduced to 54 holes due to bad weather. [Pebble Beach Links, Monterey Peninsula, CA. Earlier rounds also at: Cypress Point Club and Spyglass Hill GC].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

14 skins

Prize money

$370,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Skins Game (Nov 29/30; four-man PGA Tour unofficial money event). Defending champion Zoeller (USA) won with a total of 14 skins worth $370,000. Second was Lee Trevino (USA) 3 skins worth $55,000. Third was Arnold Palmer (USA) 1 skin worth $25,000. Jack Nicklaus (USA) was shut out with no skins. [Stadium (resort) course, PGA West, La Quinta, CA].

1986
America
276 (-8)
$81,000
Sea Pines

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

276 (-8)

Prize money

$81,000

Title sponsor

Sea Pines

Played as the Sea Pines Heritage Classic (April 17-20). Second-placed Chip Beck (USA), Greg Norman (Aus) and Roger Maltbie (USA) finished 1 shot behind Zoeller (USA). [Harbour Town Links, Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head, SC].

1986
America
274 (-10)
$90,000
Anheuser-Busch

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

274 (-10)

Prize money

$90,000

Title sponsor

Anheuser-Busch

Played as the Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic (July 10-13). Second-placed Jodie Mudd (USA) finished 2 shots behind Fuzzy Zoeller (USA), who recorded the last of his ten PGA Tour wins. [River course, Kingsmill Resort, Williamsburg, VA].

1985
America
275 (-9)
$90,000
Hertz

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

275 (-9)

Prize money

$90,000

Title sponsor

Hertz

Played as the Hertz Bay Hill Classic (March 7-10). Second-placed Tom Watson (USA) finished 2 shots behind Zoeller (USA). [Bay Hill Club, Orlando, FL].

1985
America
Bear Creek GC
9 skins
$255,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Venue

Bear Creek GC

Score

9 skins

Prize money

$255,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Skins Game (Nov 30/Dec 1; four-man PGA Tour unofficial money event). Zoeller (USA) won with a total of 9 skins worth $255,000. Second was Tom Watson (USA) 4 skins worth $100,000. Third was Arnold Palmer (USA) 4 skins worth $80,000. Fourth was defending champion Jack Nicklaus (USA) 1 skin worth $15,000. [Bear Creek GC, Murrieta, nr Temecula, California].

1984
Majors
276 (-4)
$94,000
USGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

276 (-4)

Prize money

$94,000

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Open (84th) (June 14-18). Zoeller (USA) beat Greg Norman (Aus) in an 18-hole playoff: Zoeller 67 (-3), Norman 75 (+5), to record his second major championship win. [West course, Winged Foot GC, Mamaroneck, NY].

1983
America
275 (-9)
$63,000
Sea Pines

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

275 (-9)

Prize money

$63,000

Title sponsor

Sea Pines

Played as the Sea Pines Heritage Classic (April 14-17). Second-placed Jim Nelford (Can) finished 2 shots behind Zoeller (USA). [Harbour Town Links, Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head, SC].

1983
America
340 (-20)
$135,000
Panasonic

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

340 (-20)

Prize money

$135,000

Title sponsor

Panasonic

Played as the inaugural Panasonic Las Vegas Pro-celebrity Classic (Sept 14-18). Second-placed Rex Caldwell (USA) finished 4 shots behind Zoeller (USA), who recorded his fifth PGA Tour win. [Las Vegas CC, Las Vegas, NV. Earlier rounds also at: Desert Inn CC (now Wynn G&CC) (now Wynn G&CC), Dunes CC and Showboat CC (now Wildhorse GC)].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

274 (-6)

Prize money

$54,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Colonial National Invitation (May 14-17). Second-placed Hale Irwin (USA) finished 4 shots behind Fuzzy Zoeller (USA). [Colonial CC, Ft Worth, TX].

1979
America
282 (-6)
$45,000
Andy Williams

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

282 (-6)

Prize money

$45,000

Title sponsor

Andy Williams

Played as the Andy Williams San Diego Open Invitational (Jan 25-28). Second-placed Artie McNickle (USA), Bill Kratzert (USA), Wayne Levi (USA) and Tom Watson (USA) finished 5 shots behind first-time PGA Tour winner Zoeller (USA). [South course, Torrey Pines, La Jolla, CA].

1979
Majors
280 (-8)
$50,000
x

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Score

280 (-8)

Prize money

$50,000

Title sponsor

x

The Masters Tournament (43rd) (April 12-15). Playing in his first Masters, Zoeller (USA) beat Ed Sneed (USA) and Tom Watson (USA) with a birdie at the second playoff hole (par-4 11th). The first Masters to be decided by a sudden-death playoff rather than an 18-hole playoff. [Augusta National GC, Augusta, GA].

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