After Woods won the Masters, which entitled him to choose the Champions Dinner menu for the following year, Zoeller said: “You pat him on the back and say congratulations and enjoy it and tell him not to serve fried chicken next year.

“Got it? Or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve.”

Zoeller later apologised and said his words had been misconstrued.

“I’ve cried many times. I’ve apologized countless times for words said in jest that just aren’t a reflection of who I am,” he wrote for Golf Digest in 1998.

“I have hundreds of friends, including people of colour, who will attest to that. Still, I’ve come to terms with the fact that this incident will never, ever go away.”

Zoeller was also a 10-time winner on the PGA Tour.

“Fuzzy was a true original whose talent and charisma left an indelible mark on the game of golf,” said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan.

“Fuzzy combined competitive excellence with a sense of humour that endeared him to fans and fellow players alike. We celebrate his remarkable legacy and extend our deepest condolences to his family.”