• Loading stock data...
Monday, October 27, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

Is ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Really About LIV vs. PGA Tour?

The main plotline for ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ may sound familiar to many golf fans: A rival league threatens the existence of the longstanding traditional tour.

Happy Gilmore 2
Scott Yamano/Netflix

Happy Gilmore 2’s main plotline may sound familiar to many golf fans: A rival league threatens the existence of the long-standing traditional tour.

In the new sequel to Adam Sandler’s 1996 hit comedy, the upstart Maxi Golf circuit takes on the Pro Golf Tour. The movie’s creators have said the storyline is not supposed to mimic the ongoing battle in professional golf, but it’s noteworthy that the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, whose top players worked together as main characters in the film, weren’t heavily consulted about the script.

“We weren’t out there looking for approval from the leagues or not,” Chad Mumm, a co-producer of the movie, tells Front Office Sports.

The PGA Tour’s Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, and LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka all team up with Happy Gilmore to battle against Maxi Golf’s best players in the fictional universe. 

Mumm, who is the executive producer of Netflix’s golf docuseries Full Swing and who Sandler brought on to facilitate golfer cameos, said he received “no pushback” from players’ representatives, who were the main points of contact throughout filming, not their respective tours. Mumm’s company, Pro Shop Holdings, has funding from the PGA Tour.

“They were excited,” he said. “Nobody really ever raised any sort of concerns about the plot points, because it’s ridiculous. I mean, there’s an ice hole and a fire hole. It’s all just kind of over the top.”

Happy Gilmore 2
Scott Yamano/Netflix

Fairways and Greens

Mumm said he would have addressed any potential concerns, had they arisen. Objectively, if either side had a reason to be upset with the film, it would be LIV, since two of their players (whose contracts expire in 2026) worked against the upstart tour that many in reviews and on social media have compared to LIV.

“Ultimately, I think LIV obviously followed the lead of Bryson and Brooks,” Mumm said.

Both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf declined to comment when asked about the movie’s plot. However, both leagues have heavily promoted their players’ appearances in the film, which extend beyond the four aforementioned stars. 

“It wasn’t about the PGA or it wasn’t about LIV,” Mumm said.
”It was about the Pro Golf Tour versus the Maxi tour. And I think that in Sandler’s mind, it was way more American Gladiator/over the top/Dodgeball villains than it was like a send-up of LIV. But if people are seeing it that way—I don’t know—Adam’s a big fan of all these golfers themselves. I don’t think he has a dog in the fight in terms of the league drama.”

Some critics have also compared Maxi Golf’s nontraditional antics to TGL—the tech-infused indoor league cofounded by McIlroy and Tiger Woods with financial backing from the PGA Tour—which completed its first season in March. 

Putter Power on Netflix

Whether Happy Gilmore 2 is about the PGA Tour, LIV, TGL, or none of those leagues, the film had the biggest U.S. opening weekend of all time for a Netflix movie, amassing 46.7 million views in its first three days. 

Ahead of the film’s release, a $500 hockey stick putter from Callaway quickly became a hot sports collectible item.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Aug 25, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Close up view of the ball and club of Scott Scheffler during the first round of the TOUR Championship golf tournament.

From Third Tier to $1M: Michael Brennan’s Surprise PGA Tour Win

The 23-year-old won his first professional start on the PGA Tour.

As the NFL, NBA, and NHL Go Global, The Masters Is Looking..

The tournament’s chairman touted new qualification measures.

YouTube Stars Help Bring Back Golf Channel’s ‘Big Break’

The show will return in 2026 after an 11-year hiatus.
January 8, 2023; Maui, Hawaii, USA; Matt Fitzpatrick hits his tee shot on the 11th hole during the final round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions golf tournament at Kapalua Resort - The Plantation Course.

PGA Tour Cancels $20M Season Opener After Moving Out of Maui

The 2026 season will now begin a week later at the Sony Open in Honolulu.

Featured Today

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
Oct 26, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; The 2025 World Series logo on the field at Dodger Stadium.

Dodger Stadium Games Could Push MLB Payouts to Record Highs

The Dodgers’ big ballpark and ticket prices help fuel postseason player pay.
Capitals
October 27, 2025

Capitals Fire Assistant Coach After Domestic Abuse Investigation

Assault and abuse cases are defining the start of the NHL season.
Oct 24, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Daulton Varsho (5) celebrates after hitting a two run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth inning during game one of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre.
October 27, 2025

World Series Games Set Ratings Records on Canada’s Sportsnet

Canada continues to watch MLB broadcasts at historic levels.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

Fans can now follow their favorite golfers and experience every marquee moment at the Ryder Cup — thanks to innovation from T-Mobile.
October 26, 2025

Lamar Jackson’s Practice Status Flip Sparks NFL Investigation

Baltimore could be disciplined for not properly disclosing Lamar Jackson’s status.
Rob Manfred
October 25, 2025

Canada Could Get MLB Expansion Team, Manfred Says

The league has noted fast-rising fan interest north of the border. 
October 24, 2025

MLB Union Chief on Alert As NBA Gambling Scandal Unfolds

The union leader addresses labor and gambling-related concerns.
October 23, 2025

Underdog Blue Jays vs. Dodgers’ Mega-Payroll on MLB’s Global Stage

The high-profile matchup caps what has been a breakthrough season for the league.