Christopher McDonald Talks Working With Tiger Woods on 'PGA Tour 2K23' (Exclusive)
Christopher McDonald loves to golf, and fans know him as Shooter McGavin from the hit Adam Sandler golf film Happy Gilmore. Because of that, it made sense for the 67-year-old actor to help promote the upcoming golf video game PGA Tour 2K23 and interview golf legend Tiger Woods. In an exclusive interview with PopCulture.com, McDonald talked about how intimidating it was to talk to Woods about being in PGA Tour 2K23.
"I was nervous. He's Tiger Woods," McDonald exclusively told PopCulture. "I met him a couple of times before. He's been very cool, but very guarded. It's not easy to be Tiger Woods. God knows. He can't go anywhere. I'm the perfect amount of famous. I can get a nice restaurant table or other kind of thing. But he's Tiger Woods. He can't get out of his house without, 'Oh my God! That's him!' That kind of thing."
McDonald continued: "As a big fan, it was a thrill to be doing that. Then I got over it. The best part of it was when we just started riffing like I'm talking to you right now. We just said, 'Hey, let's stuff that they wrote, but these are points. But at the same time, let's just talk about golf.' I have such respect for his game. No one in my lifetime has done more for the game of golf than Tiger Woods. I've read his books, I've read his short game. I carry it with me."
Woods is on the cover of PGA Tour 2K23, and it's the first time he's been the face of a video game since being endorsed by EA Sports from 1998-2013. The new game will be released on Oct. 14 (Deluxe Edition or Tiger Woods Edition on Oct. 11) and will include 20 licensed courses at launch and more than 14 playable characters, such as Justin Thomas Collin Morikawa, Will Zalatoris and NBA legend Michael Jordan.
As for Woods in real life, McDonald believes he will win another major despite not playing a full-time schedule due to the car accident he was involved in back in February 2021. "I wouldn't put it past him because the man will come back," he said. "He'll know if he can do it. I mean he did. It was hard to watch when he didn't make the cut at St. Andrew's. That's something I'd like to see — him win that again. Because, God, was that a joy to have an American win that one. Not only American but Tiger Woods, one of the most elite golfers in the world. I think he's got another win in him. I really do. Because no one works harder than Tiger Woods. If he wants to, he'll get it. But it is a hard game. We all know that."