Shooter McGavin Still Searching for First Gold Jacket 27 Years Later

In the spring of 1996, the golf landscape was forever changed by the emergence of Happy Gilmore and his incredible long drive ability. As most golf fans remember, ‘96 was supposed to be the Summer of Shooter, with McGavin coming up just two strokes shy of a Gold Jacket the previous year. But it was not to be, Happy Gilmore won a regional tournament and played his way into the hearts and minds of golf fans everywhere by routinely smashing 400 yard drives and acing par 4s. By the end of 1996, Happy Gilmore won the illustrious Gold Jacket given to the winner of the Tour Championship while Shooter McGavin was forced to flee the crowd as they stampeded through the course. Now 27 years later, Shooter is still searching for that illusive first Tour Championship win and a Gold Jacket. Four times he has been runner-up, most recently in 2021 when he lost in a playoff to Chubbie Peterson, the son of the late-golf legend, Chubbs Peterson. He has also finished in the top 10 a dozen times, but the one thing that drives him to continue is his unbridled obsession with that jacket. Our very own, Gayle Sayers caught up with Shooter after his recent appearance at the Celebrity Pro-Am event where he and Steph Curry won the tournament. When asked how he felt about the win, he had this to say, “How do you think I feel, we won. That’s what Shooter does. Shootahhhh.” He then proceeded to shoot finger guns at Gayle. Next, as she tried to get deeper into the mind of McGavin, Gayle asked what motivates him to continue. “Gayle, Shooter is the best golfer in the world. There’s no reason for me to stop. I wake up every morning, eat breakfast, and then kick ass on the course all day. I’m coming for that Gold Jacket too. This is Shooter’s year. That jacket is as good as mine. I will be Tour Champion. Book it.” When asked if his unique diet still included eating feces for breakfast, Shooter had no comment, and simply directed a fierce glare at Gayle. The interview abruptly ended when Gayle asked Shooter if he had made amends with his longtime rival, Happy Gilmore, and McGavin tossed his chair and walked away. Shooter’s chances are as good as ever, with some of his stiffest competition moving over to the LIV, he has a real shot at finally getting that elusive Tour Championship some 27 years after the rug was swept out from under him. Off the course, Shooter is an entrepreneur who maintains an active real estate portfolio, with his most recent purchase being the Shady Acres Senior Center and Quilt Manufacturing Company.