Happy Gilmore's Caddy Is Now Neuroscientist, Professor, At SBU

STONY BROOK, NY — Jared Van Snellenberg made his first impression on the big screen in the hit 1996 film "Happy Gilmore," where he played the caddy for Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler). Van Snellenberg, then 14, continued acting for several more years before his new passion, research, led him to Stony Brook University.

Van Snellenberg landed at Stony Brook University where he is now a neuroscientist and assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral health at the Renaissance School of Medicine, according to the university. His research focuses on understanding the neural underpinnings of psychotic and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia and related disorders.

"One of the biggest things patients with schizophrenia struggle with in terms of functioning in society is these severe cognitive deficits that can make it very hard for them to hold down a job or remember to go to appointments," Van Snellenberg said in a statement. "We’re really trying to understand what’s going on, what's different in the brain of patients with schizophrenia that leads them to have deficits in their memory, which is a major focus in that disorder because it's probably our best way to help patients improve their lives."

His hair no longer consists of the blonde locks from the movie, though Van Snellenberg still gets recognized — and sometimes introduced — as Happy's caddy.

Most recently, at this month’s U.S. Masters, his co-star Adam Sandler tweeted out a side-by-side picture of Van Snellenberg and golfer Will Zalatoris saying, "Have fun today young man. Mr. Gilmore is watching you and very proud." The tweet poked fun at Zalatoris’ resemblance to the caddy who Van Snellenberg played.