Paul Azinger

Lore & Background

Azinger was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He turned professional in 1981. He won the 1993 PGA Championship in a sudden-death playoff against Greg Norman. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in December 1993 and underwent chemotherapy and radiation. He wrote a book called Zinger about his battle with the disease and received the GWAA Ben Hogan Award in 1995. He was the U.S. Ryder Cup captain for the 2008 event, leading the team to victory.

In Their Own Story

The April sun hung low over the 12th green at Augusta, and the gallery was silent in that particular, electric way that only a Masters final round produces. Azinger stood over a putt that was less a putt and more a dare. The green was a sheet of glass, the break subtle, the crowd holding its breath as one. He didn't look at the gallery. He didn't look at the scoreboard. He looked at the flagstick, read the slope with that quiet, cat-like stillness, and struck. The ball rolled, kissed the edge of the cup, and dropped. The roar that followed was not just applause; it was recognition. The Big Cat had pounced, and Augusta would never forget.

Reader's Guide

Azinger won 12 PGA Tour events. His major victory was the 1993 PGA Championship. He had a notable rivalry with Seve Ballesteros, including a controversial episode at the 1991 Ryder Cup. He also finished one shot behind Nick Faldo at the 1987 Open Championship.

Did You Know?

• Azinger started playing golf at age five.
• He attended Brevard Community College and later Florida State University.
• He threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Tampa Bay Rays playoff game in 2008.
• He is an avid poker player and competed in the World Series of Poker main event in 2006 and 2008.
• He was awarded the Payne Stewart Award in 2025.