Who's who: Fuzzy Zoeller

  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Prince's GC, England
  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Terras da Comporta, Dunas
  • Monte Rei G&CC
  • Marco Simone GC (Italy); host of the Ryder Cup 2023
  • Pebble Beach host of the US Open; US Women's Open; Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • Marco Simone GC

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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Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

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Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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