Happy Gilmore is happy for Happy Gilmore.
On Friday, Adam Sandler congratulated the high school golfer who goes by the same name as Sandler's 1996 character in the movie after he announced his commitment to play at Ball State as a member of the Class of 2024.
"Go get em Happy," Sandler wrote on Twitter, quoting Gilmore's announcement post. "Pulling for you."
The real life Gilmore, who was born Landon James Gilmore, expressed excitement at getting a response from the movie star.
"My life is complete," he replied.
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Per Golf.com, Gilmore, who attends Indiana's Bloomington High School South, earned the nickname "Happy" as a child because he can hit the long ball like Sandler's character. When he was nine, he won a long-drive contest at a junior event.
The name stuck and the senior plays it up. He enters all tournaments using the moniker and even posed for a picture wearing a Boston Bruins jersey like Sandler's character. Unlike Sandler's character, Gilmore does not play hockey.
Gilmore said people still get fascinated at his name, but he's risen on his own merit. Earlier this month, he tied for seventh in the Indiana high school state championship and helped his team to a fourth-place finish.
“I don’t think it adds any pressure to me,” Gilmore told the IndyStar. “But I do know that whatever I do is going to be seen. Especially as far as leaderboards when people are scrolling down and see ‘Happy Gilmore’ they are going to look at it, obviously. So I do know that, but I don’t let it get in my head or that I have to play good because of it. I just go out and do my thing.”
