Happy Gilmore didn’t break Twitter when announcing his college commitment — he was testing its durability.
Bloomington South (Ind.) senior Happy Gilmore, whose real name is Landon but was monikered Happy at the age of 6, committed to Ball State University on Friday. According to Golfweek, the high school golfer shot 66 at a U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier and is ranked 497th in the Golfweek/Sagarin boys rankings.
With the announcement, people on Twitter saw the graphic and started spreading it around, prompting responses from notable figures, including Adam Sandler himself, who starred in the 1996 golf film as the titular character with the explosive spirit and wacky swing.
Go get em Happy. Pulling for you. https://t.co/4o4LOoAWDN
— Adam Sandler (@AdamSandler) June 23, 2023
“Go get em Happy. Pulling for you,” Sandler tweeted.
Shooter McGavin also took note of the commitment:
Congrats but I tell you what, you’d be something in one of those long drive contests. Hell, you’d probably make a very good living. Traveling around, hustling at driving ranges. Just a thought. https://t.co/TzbPTQI39T
— Shooter McGavin (@ShooterMcGavin_) June 23, 2023
Gilmore told the Indy Star that he started going by Happy full-time when he was around 13 years old. His caddie posts his scores to the website Team Happy Gilmore, which was updated through April as of his commitment time.
“I don’t think it adds any pressure to me,” Gilmore said of his name in an interview with the Indy Star. “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.”
In other words, he has already risen above the pressure.
my life is complete https://t.co/MnmyY3UD7I
— Happy Gilmore ⛳️ (@happygilmore_44) June 23, 2023
Related:
Amateur Adjacent: Best mid- to high-handicap options similar to Wyndham Clark’s winning bag
