The golfing world learned the desperately sad news on Thursday that Fuzzy Zoeller had passed away at the age of 74.
Fuzzy Zoeller was one of the game’s great characters. As well as winning two majors, Zoeller also received the Bob Jones Award in 1985, recognising sportsmanship within the game.
Zoeller also secured his place in Masters folklore with his first major victory in 1979.
He had actually won on the PGA Tour for the very first time earlier that year, at the Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational.
The greatest player Fuzzy Zoeller saw during his remarkable career
But with his win at Augusta National in April, he became the first player since 1935 to win The Masters in his first appearance in the event.
And Zoeller remains the last player to win on their Masters bow.
He would continue to tee it up at the first major until 2009. And in an interview with Golf Digest the previous year, Zoeller – who addressed a range of topics – named the most talented player he ever witnessed.
“Sam Snead was the best I ever saw. It’s a fact,” he said.
“One day in the mid-’70s I was paired with Sam, and on one hole we both had 140 yards to the pin. I hit my standard nine iron shot. Sam hit a little cut six iron that flew 135 yards, took one bounce and stopped dead, stiff to the hole.
“The next hole was 170 yards, and Sam hit the six iron again, this time with a high, hard draw. I hit my standard shot with a five iron. See, when I hit a shot I had to go with my bread and butter.
“For Sam, any shot was his bread and butter. In my prime I was pretty d—– good – I did win two majors – but Sam at 65 was a better shotmaker than I ever was.
“When I picture a 35-year-old Sam Snead, who was stronger and more powerful than the old version I played with, I see a golfer who had to be as good as anybody playing today, and far better than most.”
Why it is impossible to disagree with anyone who names Sam Snead as the greatest ever
Like Zoeller, Snead has his own place in golfing history. He remains tied with Tiger Woods for the most victories on the PGA Tour. Snead is recognised as having won 82 times.
He also won seven major titles during his career, including three Masters and three PGA Championship crowns.
The US Open was the one major which eluded Snead. But he did manage to finish second in the event four times, most recently in 1953.
Snead also won the Ryder Cup on seven occasions, including when he was a playing captain in 1951 – an event which was played just one week before Zoeller was born.
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