While many have speculated this week about the future facing Sergio Garcia in light of racially-charged comments he made about Tiger Woods, perhaps only one person knows exactly what the Spaniard is facing.
Sixteen years ago, Fuzzy Zoeller was mired in similar controversy after comments made about Woods at the 1997 Masters. According to the two-time major champion, the scrutiny currently surrounding the situation will eventually dissipate.
‘It’ll all blow over,’ Zoeller explained in an AP report. ‘Those boys will be fine.’
When he made his infamous comments at Augusta National, questioning what Woods might serve at the champions’ dinner the following year, Zoeller was 46 years old. In the aftermath of the controversy, he lost endorsements from several sponsors, a penalty that he still insists today came from a poor attempt at humor.
‘Mine was a joke that went bad,’ he noted. ‘What the hell, I’ve paid my dues.’
In assessing the Garcia-Woods controversy across the larger landscape of sports, Zoeller believes it’s just one of many run-ins that can arise between competitors.
‘They’ve had feuds before. That’s just the way it is. That’s sports,’ he added. ‘Some you’ll hear about, some you won’t.’