Fuzzy Zoeller made a racially insensitive “joke” about Tiger Woods at the 1997 Masters related to what Woods might serve at the next year’s Champions Dinner if he won. Multiple contemporary and retrospective reports agree that Zoeller praised Woods’ play and then told reporters to congratulate him and “tell him not to serve fried chicken next year,” also referring to stereotypical Southern Black foods such as collard greens and calling Woods “that little boy.”

These remarks were widely condemned as racist, led to loss of sponsors for Zoeller, and have since been repeatedly cited in obituaries and retrospectives as an incident that permanently affected his public reputation.