Former President Bill Clinton to play a round with Greg Norman at Humana Challenge
Former President Bill Clinton has taken his passion for golf to an altogether new level and has become the first President to associate himself with a regular PGA Tour event at this week’s Humana Challenge.
His penchant for the game and his years of struggle to improve his Handicap has turned him into a reasonable golfer, not to mention the priceless free tips he used to get from the professional players while he was in the Oval Office.
Humana Challenge, which remained associated with Bob Hope for decades, is now sponsored by the William J. Clinton Foundation, a humanitarian organisation dedicated to promote healthy behavioural changes.
Regardless of the cause behind the event, Clinton does not strive to keep his passionate indulgence with the sport a secret.
He was one of the most frequent players during his eight year tenure in the office and maintained a Handicap of 12.
He admits that his game has severely deteriorated afterwards and he is not half the player he used to be while in the office.
"I'm not very good anymore," Clinton said. "Haiti just about ruined my golf game ... I saw President Bush, George W. Bush and I were doing this project in Haiti, and he was ragging me. He said 'I'm down to a 10 now.' I was there my first year after office. There were times when I was President that I would go five holes before I hit a decent shot and before I could sort of flush my head”.
The 42nd President will also be featuring in the third round of the Humana Challenge, playing alongside his long time friend ,Greg Norman, and the event is likely to attract hordes of spectators to the course.
The Four-somes will include Humana Chairman and CEO Mike McCallister, World Golf Hall of Famer, former World No. 1 and two-time British Open champion Greg Norman, and La Quinta resident and three-time PGA TOUR winner Scott McCarron.
Clinton holds a special liking for the Augusta National and the Pine Valley, although the former first lady and present Secretary of State and daughter Chelsea, do not like the Augusta’s “no-female member” policy.
Clinton loves to play with Norman and the staunch American Fred Couples and also often tees-off with Amy Alcott.
He revealed that he had had a chance of playing alongside Adam Scott, Tiger Woods while he was still a student at UNVL, Luke Donald and Michael Jordan at the sprawling Conway Farms outside of Chicago.
Some of the big wigs of the sport will be tee-ing off at the latest episode of the Humana Challenge, including the four-time major winner Phil Mickelson, World No. 8 Dustin Johnson, World No. 11 Matt Kuchar and 2011 FedExCup champion Bill Haas.
Humana Challenge, formerly known as the Bob Hope Classic, has generated a staggering $52-million for the last 52 years with much of the proceeds going to the Eisenhower Medical Centre and charities within the Coachella Valley.
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