Adam Sandler spots Will Zalatoris’s resemblance to Happy Gilmore character: ‘Have fun today young man’

Zalatoris has been compared on a number of occasions to a character from Sandler’s 1996 comedy

Adam Sandler shared a post to cheer on Masters competitor Will Zalatoris yesterday (Sunday 11 April), after noticing his striking resemblance to Happy Gilmore’s caddy character.

Former child actor Van Snellenberg (his real name) played Sandler’s caddy in the 1996 film, about a struggling hockey player who discovers a talent for golf. He is now an academic.

Zalatoris has been compared to Van Snellenberg on several occasions, and even has “Mr Gilmore, I’m your caddy” engraved on a lob wedge.

He recently acknowledged that he is something of a doppelganger to the young Van Snellenberg, revealing he is amused by fans who have pointed it out to him.

On the final day of the competition, Sandler clearly decided to give Zalatoris some encouragement.

“Have fun today young man. Mr Gilmore is watching you and very proud,” he joked on Twitter.

Zalatoris, 24, was at the time facing the possibility of becoming the first rookie to win the Masters since 1979.

While he didn’t manage to achieve the feat (the title going instead to Hideki Matsuyama), he still saw the funny side of Sandler’s tweet.

“If you’re ever in need of a caddie again let me know. I’ll be better this time. I’m always available for you, Mr Gilmore,” he responded.