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NASSAU. — Tiger Woods on Saturday recalled George H. W. Bush as a passionate golfer and a “class act”, as many across the sports world mourned the death of the 41st US president.

“I met Mr President back when I was an amateur, so back when we were practising in Houston, so it’s been a long time,” 14-time major champion Woods said at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, where many in the 18-man field remembered Bush with the number “41” on their caps.

“I met him on numerous occasions. He was fantastic to be around. He was just one of the smartest people I’ve ever been around, and so down to earth,” said Woods, who played a number of rounds with Bush while in Houston and at the exclusive Lochinvar Golf Club, just a short distance from George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

“We’d play one of those very quick rounds, 18 holes in probably under two and a half hours,” Woods said.

“His name is synonymous with golf. Being around him for all these years and getting a chance to be around him at Presidents Cup and him being involved in it since its inception in ‘94 — he was such a class act. “

Masters champion and Houston native Patrick Reed recalled meeting both Bush and his son George W. Bush, remembering them as “amazing people”. — AFP.