Zoeller Issue Not Resolved

IRVING, Texas — Tiger Woods says he is eager to resume his tour schedule this week in the Byron Nelson Classic, but made it clear Tuesday he’s not ready to forgive fellow PGA golfer Fuzzy Zoeller.

“I’d like to ask him what exactly he meant by his comments,” said Woods, who Thursday will play his first competitive round since his record-breaking Masters victory one month ago. “I want to go face to face and have a heart-to-heart talk with him and find out what he was thinking.”

Zoeller, the 1979 Masters champion, touched off a firestorm of controversy when he said he hoped Woods, who is of multiracial heritage, wouldn’t serve “fried chicken and collard greens” at next year’s Masters champions dinner.

Woods said what bothered him the most was Zoeller’s parting shot in the television interview on Masters Sunday when he added: “or whatever the hell they serve.”

Zoeller has since apologized for the remarks.

“I’ll talk with him about it if he’s at Colonial next week,” said Woods, who along with Zoeller has tentatively committed to play in the Fort Worth event.

Woods was among many who noticed a non-joking edge to Zoeller’s voice.

“I’m very good at knowing where people are coming from,” Woods said.

Woods also may want to have a heart-to-heart with President Clinton.

The day after the Masters, Clinton invited Woods to join him at Shea Stadium in New York to mark the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier.

Woods declined.

“I had planned my vacation already. Why didn’t Mr. Clinton invite me before I won the Masters? It would have been better if he asked me before,” said Woods, suggesting the invitation may have been politically motivated.