Buzzy initially grew up in Indiana, but by the time he was eleven his dad moved the whole family to Oahu. The moment he caught his first wave, he knew there was no turning back. Buzzy had found his calling as a surfer and in 1974 he won the Smirnoff Pro Am. He went on to win and place at some of the biggest contests in the world and was recognized as the 10th best surfer in the world.
He eventually teamed up with Laird Hamilton and together they gained fame as big wave surfers on some of the gnarliest waves on the North Shore. Eventually they decided to challenge themselves and set out for Maui to take on it’s unique set of breaks that included the infamous “Jaws”. They took on 60 to 70 foot waves with their new approach and changed the sport of big wave surfing forever.
While being considered one of the best surfers in the world, Buzzy was also became one of the first surfing icons to join the fashion world. He landed on the pages of Vogue magazine and was signed to a deal with Ralph Lauren, making him the face of Polo Sport for more then a quarter of a century.
