Tiger Woods’ Happy Gilmore 2 Role Was Adam Sandler’s ‘Dream’ That Didn’t Come True

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In the much-awaited second installment of “Happy Gilmore,” released on Netflix, Adam Sandler’s character catches up with life in the present day. Despite Sandler’s wish to include Tiger Woods in this sequel to the 1996 original, sadly, it didn’t materialize. The new film boasts an impressive ensemble of golfing stars, featuring Scottie Scheffler, Jack Nicklaus, Rory McIlroy, and Tony Finau in cameo appearances. However, fans might notice the conspicuous absence of Tiger Woods from the stellar cast.

Tiger Woods is often considered one of golf’s most iconic figures, and he’s generally viewed as the best golfer of all time. It’s unfortunate that he wasn’t in “Happy Gilmore 2,” but there are several reasons why the talented golfer chose not to participate.

Under the guidance of director Kyle Newacheck, the movie titled “Happy Gilmore 2” centers around the protagonist, Happy Gilmore, as he navigates his journey towards redemption following a tragic turn in his life caused by the demise of his wife, Virginia Venit. The film welcomes back Adam Sandler along with fresh and recognizable faces such as Bad Bunny, Haley Joel Osment, Christopher McDonald, Ben Stiller, and Julie Bowen. The sequel to the original film, “Happy Gilmore 2“, made its debut on Netflix on July 25, 2025.

Why Wasn’t Tiger Woods In Happy Gilmore 2?

Actor Adam Sandler, famous for his role in Happy Gilmore, has openly expressed his desire to have Tiger Woods appear in the sequel. During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show in May 2024, Sandler hinted at the potential for a Tiger Woods cameo, stating that he plans to write down all of his dreams in order to make it a reality.

I’d be delighted! We’ll wait and see. I plan to jot down all my aspirations; who knows, amazing things might unfold!

In a delightful turn of events, Sandler expressed optimism regarding Tiger Woods’ appearance in Happy Gilmore 2. Regrettably, this didn’t materialize. It was disappointing given that the second installment successfully incorporated several prominent professional golfers into special parts. Among these, Scottie Scheffler – the current top-ranked golfer and a cast member of Full Swing Season 3 – agreed to join the cast and even took on a significant role in the film.

Despite that, the sequel still managed to include references to Tiger Woods. 

At the 1 hour, 56-minute point in “Happy Gilmore 2,” Gilmore was alluded to having drawn inspiration from Tiger Woods. Specifically, this was when Gilmore stated that he modeled his own video game on a concept similar to what Tiger Woods had done, following many years of golfing success.

“Tiger Woods had a video game, so we did a Happy Gilmore one…”

At the 33:32 point in the video, a small Tiger Woods figurine (shown above) was present as Gilmore prepared to join a gathering of golfers for the U.S. Bank Tour Championship. This meeting aimed to decide which golfers would represent them prior to facing emerging talents from Maxi Golf in the upcoming competition.

In the movie “Happy Gilmore 2”, at approximately 1 hour, 27 minutes, and 53 seconds, during a motivational speech to his old foe Shooter McGavin, Gilmore referred to Tiger Woods by saying, “You’re the best golfer of the ’90s, but remember, I and Tiger were better.

It’s plausible that several reasons might explain why Tiger Woods didn’t appear in the sequel of “Happy Gilmore,” even though he was referenced. Given that his IMDb profile shows no prior cameos, it seems likely that he chose to maintain his record of not appearing in any movie.

Instead of devoting time to “Happy Gilmore 2,” Woods might have decided to concentrate on his golf career and other business endeavors, as some well-known golfers participated in cameos or special roles for the sequel.

It’s equally plausible that differing creative visions could have factored in. Since Sandler envisioned having Tiger Woods, it’s conceivable that an alternative draft of the script might have featured him, but Woods might not have been satisfied with his character’s role in the movie.

It might be incorrectly assumed that Tiger Woods doesn’t appreciate the film “Happy Gilmore” or Adam Sandler, but it’s important to clarify that this golf legend participated in the 25th anniversary celebration of Happy Gilmore (organized by TaylorMade Golf Europe) in August 2021. Alongside other renowned golfers such as Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Matthew Wolff, and Tommy Fleetwood, Woods attempted to replicate Gilmore’s famous swing from the initial movie.

Will Tiger Woods Ever Appear in Happy Gilmore 3 if It Gets Made?

Although Tiger Woods isn’t currently involved, there remains a possibility that he could be included should the production of Happy Gilmore 3 ever take place.

In an open conversation with TopMob, the director of Happy Gilmore 2, Kyle Newacheck, candidly expressed his current thoughts on the possibility of a third installment, stating that he is not yet ready to contemplate such a project at this time.

Kyle Newacheck: To be honest, I’m unsure. I wouldn’t rush into it. At this moment, I’d probably overstep my boundaries if I tried to think about it. The first one required a 29-year gestation period before they understood the second one. Whatever idea I might come up with now just doesn’t seem quite right, friend.

In the finale of Happy Gilmore 2, our main character, Gilmore, grapples with the loss of his wife and finds himself poised to participate in the British Open. This comes after he triumphs over Maxi Golf, not just winning for himself, but also supposedly revitalizing golf as a sport.

If a new film is produced, there could be an opportunity to feature Tiger Woods, given his status as a three-time winner of The Open Championship.

As an enthusiastic fan, I can imagine myself rooting for Tiger in an exciting match-up against Gilmore, potentially igniting a fresh rivalry between these two legends. The film could reinforce the cautionary tale of “‘never meet your heroes,’” and depict Tiger as a formidable adversary to Gilmore, making for quite an intriguing spectacle.

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2025-07-27 00:38