Pro Golf Now
Fansided

Top Golfers from Each State: Massachusetts and Paul Azinger

By Richie Randolph

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 02: (L-R) NBC Golf broadcasters Johnny Miller, Paul Azinger, and Dan Hicks pose for a photo opportunity following Miller's final live broadcast during the third round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on February 02, 2019 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 02: (L-R) NBC Golf broadcasters Johnny Miller, Paul Azinger, and Dan Hicks pose for a photo opportunity following Miller's final live broadcast during the third round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on February 02, 2019 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

As we continue our look at the top golfer in each state, we come to Massachusetts golf and Paul Azinger

Massachusetts has a rich and storied golf history. The Country Club is one of the most iconic venues in the game, and will return to the spotlight in 2022 when it hosts the U.S. Open. Over 107 years ago, Francis Ouimet’s 1913 U.S. Open triumph at the same course stands as one of the greatest accomplishments in golf. Looking at the best player born in Massachusetts, the distinction goes to Paul Azinger.

Born in Holyoke, less than 10 miles from Springfield, Azinger took up the game at the age of five. He received a scholarship to play at Florida State and won team MVP in 1981, setting the stage for a fruitful career in professional golf.

More from Pro Golf Now

Despite his college success, Azinger’s career started slow. He finally broke through in 1987, setting the stage for the man known as ‘Zinger’ to become one of the PGA Tour’s best for over a decade. He spent an astounding 292 weeks ranked inside the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings, notching 11 wins during a seven-year stretch of brilliance.

This was capped off by his first major championship, the 1993 PGA held at famed Inverness. Azinger battled on the back nine, and birdied four of the final seven holes to force a playoff with Greg Norman. Norman was looking to capture his 2nd straight major but ‘Zinger’ did not flinch, outlasting the Australian and securing his only major title.

Now a resident of Florida, Azinger’s career came to a grinding halt in December of 1993, when he was diagnosed with non-hodgkin’s lymphoma. Faced with six months of chemotherapy and five weeks of radiation, Azinger showed off his trademark toughness and beat cancer. He slowly rebuilt his golf game and had some close calls in majors (most notably a 5th at the 1998 Masters) and finally returned to the winners circle for a 12th time at the 2000 Sony Open.

With 12 career victories, a major championship, and a consistent run of excellent golf, Azinger’s individual career showed him to be one of the best players of his generation. His international career was also impressive; a member of four U.S. Ryder Cup teams, the pride of Holyoke built a fierce rivalry with the European squad. His squabble with Seve Ballesteros in 1991 at Kiawah Island cemented the bi-annual competition as one of golf’s premier events.

dark. Next. Ranking the 15 Best Tiger Woods Career Wins

His Ryder Cup legacy will ultimately lie in his captaincy; Azinger’s strategy is cited as one of the key drivers for the United States 2008 victory at Vahalla. Totally revamping the team-building approach, he led America to their first Ryder Cup in nine years (and as it turns out, one of only two U.S. wins so far this millennia).

Paul Azinger is now one of the faces of golf on NBC but his playing career cannot be forgotten, and he is the best golfer to come from the state of Massachusetts.

Home/Golf News