'Happy Gilmore' actor crashes news conference, other top moments from Phoenix Open Pro-Am

‘Happy Gilmore’ actor crashes news conference, other top moments from Phoenix Open Pro-Am

PGA Tour pro Justin Thomas was in the middle of his chat in the media room Wednesday afternoon at the WM Phoenix Open, answering a question when a familiar face to golf fans walked on the set and interrupted him.

It was actor Christopher McDonald, who played the infamous Shooter McGavin in the popular golf movie “Happy Gilmore.” McDonald was at TPC Scottsdale to do publicity for the sequel, “Happy Gilmore 2,” which will be in theaters later this summer.

“So much fun to shoot,” McDonald said. “It’s got the quintessential Adam Sandler touch. It’s got so much heart and so much humor that it’s going to I think, kill it. New generations are going to eat it up because it’s a rare and beautiful thing.”

McDonald said he’s been an ambassador for Happy Gilmore for years. Then a clip from the film set of the sequel was shown on TVs.

That was a highlight of the annual Annexus Pro-Am, played in perfect sunshine as opposed to the clouds and rain of last year. There were more moments from the course.

“It was so cool to be around everybody,” said Thomas, who appears in the sequel. “That movie, that generation of movies is literally what we grew up on, and I realized how many Adam Sandler quotes I use in my daily life when I was around him.”

New Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Burnes crushed a tee shot to start his day on the course at TPC Scottsdale, prompting Tim Hovik, a local auto dealership executive, to comment as he stepped up for his shot. “We are reshuffling the deck!” Hovik said, to the delight of the crowd at the first tee. “I’m not going after that.”

But Hovik did, and his drive was a solid one.

Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber said he is rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles, though the Ohio native grew up a Cincinnati Bengals fan.

At the 10th tee, starter Andy Markham, a former tournament chairman, wore pants made up of Thunderbirds patches and various others sewn in. One was an old-style Denver Broncos logo, another was a throwback Montreal Expos patch, and there were at least two Arizona Wildcats logos. Fashion statements throughout the gallery and among the tournament staff were everywhere.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers had to wait almost a full minute for his introduction to end at the 16th hole, twirling his finger in the universal sign for “wrap it up.” He hit a decent iron shot at 16, then waved his putter to the crowd at the stadium hole and got mostly cheers.
Golfers at the 10th tee had to deal with deejay music in the background, though it was not terribly loud. The music was thumping at 16, where most of the seats were filled when Rodgers and his group walked in.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan was in Rodgers’ group, and he sank a long putt at 16.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo teed off, walked down the course, and heard shouts of “Go Torey!” and “Go DBacks!” from the crowd.
PGA Tour pro Wyndham Clark was introduced at 16 as “the pinball champion of the PGA.”
Actor Brian Baumgartner, known for his role as Kevin Malone in TV’s “The Office,” said he is an avid golfer who just played in a celebrity tournament prior to his outing at the WM Open. He added that he’s played six rounds in the past seven days and that he planned to “give them a show” at the 16th hole Wednesday.