The 2014 Humana Challenge officially got underway at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif., today after golf legend and Humana Well-Being Ambassador Gary Player hit the ceremonial first tee shot in front of an enthusiastic group of on-lookers, including President Bill Clinton, PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem, Humana CEO Bruce Broussard and Humana Challenge Executive Director and CEO Bob Marra. (Watch the video.)
President Clinton, Finchem and Broussard also spoke in the Humana Challenge media center about the success and impact of the tournament, which is in its third year since Humana began its title sponsorship.
“When Humana and the Clinton Foundation came together with (the PGA TOUR) to forward this tournament in a direction that makes for a great golf competition and to focus on our players as role models … I’m not so sure we knew that we would be making this much progress by year three,” Finchem said. “It has been a terrific partnership.”
President Clinton said the Humana Challenge – which has set a goal to become the “Healthiest Event In America” – will serve as a model for other events.
“This initiative would not have started were it not for the PGA TOUR, the tournament and Humana sponsoring it,” President Clinton said. “And as someone who deals with this kind of work across the world on a regular basis, I can tell you that I think it is a very significant development for the United States, and it is something that other communities will be forced to model if we really want to deal with the fundamental health challenges we have.”