Renowned actor and comedian Adam Sandler recently took to Twitter to send his well wishes to a high school golfer who shares a name with his beloved character from the iconic 1996 movie, Happy Gilmore.
According to a report by USA Today, the real-life Happy Gilmore, known as Landon James Gilmore, recently announced his commitment to play golf at Ball State as part of the Class of 2024.
In a supportive tweet, Sandler quoted Gilmore’s announcement post and wrote, “Go get ’em Happy. Pulling for you.” This heartfelt gesture from Adam Sandler brought immense joy to the young golfer, who expressed his excitement at receiving a response from the movie star, exclaiming, “My life is complete.”
Not only did Happy Gilmore receive recognition from Sandler, but he also garnered a shout-out from Christopher McDonald, the actor who portrayed Shooter McGavin, Happy Gilmore’s rival in the film.
Currently a rising senior at Bloomington South High School, the real Happy Gilmore has shown great promise in the world of golf. Ranked 481st in the Golfweek Boys Junior Rankings, he has participated in various U.S. Kids Tour events and the Hurricane National Championships, where he secured the title of Player of the Year in 2020.
Recently, Gilmore delivered an impressive performance in the Indiana high school boys state tournament, finishing in a remarkable seventh place. Over 36 holes at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana, he showcased his skills with an even par score. Prior to the state tournament, Gilmore also emerged victorious in a regional tournament.
Embracing the whimsical name that Sandler made famous, Landon Gilmore shared that he doesn’t feel any added pressure due to the association with the movie character. While he acknowledges that his name draws attention on leaderboards, he remains focused on performing to the best of his abilities, undeterred by external factors that may affect his game.
Landon Gilmore isn’t bothered by his name being associated with a famous movie character, even though it’s a funny name. He doesn’t feel any extra pressure because of it. People notice his name on leaderboards, but he doesn’t let it distract him. He stays focused on doing his best in the game, without letting outside things affect him.
