President Bill Clinton at Humana Challenge Day 1: President Bill Clinton greets golfers and golf fans at the driving range on opening day of the Humana Challenge.
Former President Bill Clinton chats with golfer David Toms on the 13th green during the first round of the Humana Challenge at the La Quinta Country Club on Thursday. Toms ended the day tied atop the leaderboard with Camilo Villegas. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun
Humana Challenge
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La Quinta — Even in properly hushed golf tones, former President Bill Clinton worked the crowds Thursday at the Humana Challenge.
The onetime master gladhander first dropped in on spectators in Hope Square and at his own foundation's tent at PGA West. In the afternoon, Clinton quietly walked up to the 13th hole, where his friend Phil Mickelson was playing.
“Hi!” he stage-whispered to the crowd, with a double-hand wave.
Clinton has become the personality people associate with the 52-year-old tournament, replacing Bob Hope, who lent his celebrity to the cause for four decades.
Organizers hope the former president's presence, a revised format, and a new focus on health and wellness will breathe new life into the tournament.
This week's tour is the first time in 17 years that Clinton has been on the desert links during the competition. In 1995, he played in the Hope Classic with former presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush and Bob Hope.
Today, he is expected to hit some balls at PGA West to prepare for his Saturday round with Greg Norman.
But Thursday, the former president tried to act like he was just a spectator — respectfully deferential to the play while, at the same time, energizing the crowd and signing a few autographs.
At PGA West, he arrived in one of two black SUVs. Wearing a black puffer vest, black slacks and red-white-and-blue cleats, he stopped to talk to players, including Daniel Chopra, Kevin Na, Martin Laird, Ben Crane, Zach Johnson and Cameron Tringale.
At La Quinta Country Club later in the day, he thanked Mickelson for coming.
Then, the former president shook hands with the amateurs playing with Mickelson before leaning playfully on one of them, Country Club President Jack Mettler, while they waited for pro David Toms to take his shot.
“I told him how my wife is now pushing me out the door at 6 a.m. every morning to walk,” said Mettler. “He said he understood. Chelsea did the same thing to him.”
At the end of the hole, Clinton's Secret Service detail ferried him to a caravan of five golf carts.
But Susan Keller, a 54-year-old retired teacher from La Quinta, asked him to sign her PGA West hat first.
“I called him Bill rather than Mr. President,” she said, with a mental head slap. “I'm really embarrassed.”
Keller, originally from Ohio, says Clinton's dramatic weight loss has inspired her to lose weight. She told him just that. He thanked her.
“You're looking good,” John Breaux called to Clinton as he headed to the carts.
“I'm a Republican, and I like him,” said the 55-year-old La Verne fire chief. “I'd vote for him today. He's a great guy.”
Still laughing about his encounter with the two-term president, Classic veteran Mettler said he told Clinton, “how important his addition is to renewing our tournament.”
Mickelson is playing as a favor to the president.
And Norman last appeared in the Classic in 1986. He said in Golf Digest this week the only reason he's in the desert is: “I got a phone call I could never say ‘no' to.”
Other members of the crowd Thursday seemed to appreciate the power of Clinton's 8-year commitment to the tournament.
“Thank you for your participation,” one man yelled, as Clinton stopped at the port-a-potties and then was whisked away.
Desert Sun reporter Larry Bohannan contributed to this report.
