Humana, Clinton Bring New Life to the 'Hope'

A year ago, I walked the Palmer Private course at PGA West during the Bob Hope Classic and the atmosphere was stale. The crowd was old and there was no buzz on the course.

Greg Norman and President Bill Clinton joke
around (Jim Edwards/Patch.com)

Something had to change and it did.

The PGA commissioner and a man from Hope, Ark. stepped in and save to the Hope.

Former President Bill Clinton lent his personality to the La Quinta golf tournament made famous by an even bigger personality, the aforementioned comedian Bob Hope.

In walking around the same course this weekend at the new Humana Challenge the buzz was back. The crowd was bigger and a bit younger.

President Clinton helped bring in a Hall of Famer, Greg Norman, one of the biggest names on the Tour, Phil Mickelson, and even a top 10 player, Dustin Johnson, come to a Tour stop that was normally skipped over.

Before gusty winds stopped play on Saturday, there was a massive gallery following Mickelson around the course, while the former President and Norman had an even larger following.

The Humana Challenge still has work to do to make this the must see Tour stop it once was, but President Clinton laid a strong foundation.