Paul Azinger won a major, beating Greg Norman in a playoff at the 1993 PGA Championship; overcame lymphoma in his right shoulder; and has enjoyed critical acclaim for his candor as a broadcaster.
Still, the 50-year-old's most enduring legacy may have been confirmed during a recent interview at a Chicago hotel restaurant, where two separate diners interrupted Zinger from his breakfast to thank him for his successful captainship at the 2008 Ryder Cup. "It's pretty nice," Azinger says of the gratitude, which he says he still receives just about everywhere he goes.
Relinquishing his captain's duties and the accompanying attention hasn't been easy, Azinger admits, but he has filled the hole with occassional rounds on the Champions Tour, guest spots on television, and writing and promoting his latest book, a tell-all about—what else?—his winning ways at the Ryder Cup. Azinger also makes time for two of his favorite pastimes, fishing and foosball.
