Liberty changes should up the excitement, challenge

Liberty National has been set up for this week’s Presidents Cup — which begins with Thursday’s opening session of alternate-shot matches — for fireworks and more dramatic TV viewing.

The course, which has hosted two FedEx Cup PGA Tour events, was re-routed from its original design to make for more exciting match-play action.

One of the key changes for this week was making the original 18th hole, which is a challenging and picturesque par-4, the 14th hole that plays alongside the water toward the clubhouse with stunning views of the Manhattan skyline.

This change will virtually assure that most of the matches will include the picturesque hole. Without the change, the original No. 18 would likely not come into play very often with many matches already decided.

That will make the tournament 18th a 1 9 3 -ya rd par-3 f i ni s hi ng hole for those matches that go the distance.

Perhaps the most significant change is the first hole, which in the original design is No. 5, a difficult 474-yard par-4 with water all the way down the left side of the fairway. This will be a nervewracking opening hole for players who will already be feeling the nerves of the first tee with the large grandstands surrounding it.

“The drive is critical, so that’s going to be a fun hole to start on,’’ Phil Mickelson said.

“If I play alternate-shot, it’s unlikely that I will tee off on that hole,’’ joked Mickelson, whose driving accuracy is not known as his strength.

For the first time, three former U.S. presidents will attend the Presidents Cup.

On Thursday, Bill Clinton (the honorary chairman in 2000); George W. Bush (honorary chairman in 2005) and Barack Obama (honorary chairman in 2011, 2013) will attend the ceremonial elements on the first tee.

The last time more than one former president attended the event was in 2005, when Clinton and George H.W. Bush were present at the matches held at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Va.

Both the U.S. and International teams, with International captain Nick Price taking the lead, are going to donate $170,000 per team ($10,000 per man) to the One America Appeal foundation to help with damage recovery of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, which battered Texas and Florida in recent weeks.