Presidents Cup: Former Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama hang out

Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush enjoyed the Presidents Cup together Thursday in New Jersey.

POTUS No. 42 through No. 44 seemed to be enjoying the first day of the tournament at Liberty National Golf Club. They posed for pictures, shared laughs and put their arms on each others shoulders.

The United States team is the defending champion of the tournament and features some of the world's best players such as Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas and Phil Mickelson. Tiger Woods is one of the advisors for the squad, taking a position as a captain's assistant. Steve Stricker is the team captain. Fred Couples, Davis Love III and Jim Furyk are also serving as captain's assistants.

The event is held every two years. The United States team has won nine of the 11 matches in tournament history.

Bush, Clinton and Obama arrived at about 12:30 p.m. Thursday, just in time for the afternoon's opening ceremony. They sat near Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.

If Mickelson wins two matches this week at the tournament, he will pass Woods for the most matches won in Presidents Cup history and push his total to 25 victories.

Fowler and Thomas were three strokes up on Charl Schwartezl and Hideki Matsuyama through nine holes Thursday. Johnson and Matt Kuchar were all squared with Jhonattan Vegas and Adam Scott. Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger were also all squared with Branen Grace and Louis Oosthuiezn. Spieth and Patrik Reed were four strokes up on Emiliano Grillo and Si Woo Kim. Mickelson and Kevin Kisner were two up on Marc Leishman and Jason Day.

Friday's second round begins at 11:35 a.m. with five matches. There will be four matches played on Saturday, starting at 7 a.m. Sunday's final round begins at noon.