SIYF Golf: A Salute to Fuzzy Zoeller RIP

When those of us on the SIYF Golf Crew look at pros, there are some you know would be able to handle the challenge that we take every first weekend in June, and there are some that you wouldn't be able to handle a bunch of Weekend Hackers hopped up on cheap cigars and Costco Fireball Shooters.

Fuzzy Zoeller was one of those pros who, despite the racist comment that almost ruined his golf career would have probably loved 90 holes in three days on six hours of sleep and a quick shot of parrot bay on the turn with a wrinkled up hot dog. He passed away today at the age of 74.

The connection of Fuzzy Zoeller to SIYF golf goes to the 2008 US Senior Open at the Broadmoor. Many of us future SIYF crew followed Fuzzy's gallery around as he had no problem interacting with the crowd, hitting bombs, moving the ball in the air, and looking like he was having the most fun on the golf course. This was a decade after his fried chicken comments about Tiger Woods lost him a ton on Sponsorships including the coveted KMart sponsorship.

At this time he is one of only three players and the last player to win the Masters in his first try. In 1984 he waved the white flag of surrender at Greg Norman when he thought he had lost the US Open, only to beat him in an 18 hole playoff the next day.

He was a guy who looked like he was having fun and despite one stupid thing he said in 1997 was well regarded by his peers. It would have been fun to see Fuzzy tee off from the top of the mountain on the Keystone River Course and down a pitcher of Dark Beer before a wound at Dos Rios.

RIP Fuzzy from SIYF Golf