The New Humana Won't Be Your Old Bob Hope Classic

Change is the only constant in life, and this week when the 2012 PGA Tour hits mainland US shores, it will be to a quite different version of the tournament formerly known as the Bob Hope Classic that will now be known as the Humana Challenge. And the title change won't be the only difference:

The tournament has been cut down from five rounds to only four, bringing it in-line with almost all other tournaments on the PGA Tour. Amateurs will still be an integral part of the event, with them joining pros for the first 54 holes. On the final day, it will be only the pros, who'll get serious for playing for bucks after the first few days of yucks.

The number of amateurs participating has dropped from 384 to 144, and the course rota has dropped one track, La Quinta Country Club, PGA West Nicklaus Private and PGA West Palmer Private remain, while the SilverRock Resort was cut. Everyone will play each course one of the first three days and the pros will finish the event with everyone playing the PGA West Palmer course.

There's a new sheriff, err, president in town: in addition to the new Humana sponsorship, the William J. Clinton Foundation has joined in as well, an agreement set to last at least eight years. William J. Clinton is of course former President Clinton, who served eight years as the 42nd president of the United States. Clinton is not the only president with ties to the tournament, as the 38th president, Gerald Ford began playing in the pro-am in 1977. Before him, Dwight D. Eisenhower also played in the event.

Clinton has taken a great interest in the tournament, and has made plenty of phone calls to various players in an attempt to interest them in playing in the event. Greg Norman and Phil Mickelson are among the players who will tee it up, and those two will be joined by Bill Haas, Matt Kutchar, Trevor Immelman and Dustin Johnson among many others, making it the strongest field in years, according to Desert Sun golf writer Larry Bohannon.