Adam Sandler Congratulates 'Happy Gilmore' Caddie Doppelgänger After Golfer's First PGA Tour Win
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Moviestore/Shutterstock; Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Adam Sandler from 'Happy Gilmore' and golfer Will Zalatoris
Adam Sandler is celebrating a major milestone for a golfer (and social media friend) who resembles the young caddie from his 1996 film, Happy Gilmore.
On Sunday, golfer Will Zalatoris won the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee. The victory was Zalatoris' first ever on the PGA Tour.
Zalatoris popped up on Sandler's radar in early 2021 after the actor and comedian saw how much he resembled a grown-up version of the first caddie — played by actor Jared Van Snellenberg — who helped Happy Gilmore in the classic movie.
Sandler even tweeted a side-by-side image of 26-year-old Zalatoris and the caddie (see below) to show off the resemblance.
"Have fun today young man," Sandler said at the time. "Mr. Gilmore is watching you and very proud."
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After Zalatoris scored the win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, Sandler once again sent him a supportive tweet.
Have fun today young man. Mr. Gilmore is watching you and very proud. pic.twitter.com/iwOEuMdR8W
— Adam Sandler (@AdamSandler) April 11, 2021
"Congrats Will! I'm happy for you! Happy's happy for you! Enjoy it all!" Sandler wrote in the message, which included pictures from Happy Gilmore and of Zalatoris celebrating at the championship.
The heartwarming tweet received more than 52,000 likes on the platform as of Tuesday afternoon.
Van Snellenberg, who played the young caddie in the movie, is now an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University in New York.
Happy Gilmore also stars Christopher McDonald as Sandler's nemesis, Shooter McGavin; Modern Family star Julie Bowen as Sandler's love interest Virginia Venit and Carl Weathers as golf legend Chubbs Peterson.
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The film follows Sandler as Happy Gilmore, who dreamed of becoming a professional hockey player only to discover his talent might actually in playing golf.
When his grandmother is about to lose her home, Happy joins a golf tournament to try and win enough money to buy it for her, only to make an enemy out of McGavin.
