Gary Woodland was joined by the Obama family, the Secret Service on a commercial flight

HONOLULU — Gary Woodland had a short vacation with his wife Gabby on the Big Island before coming to Oahu for the Sony Open. Never has a 45-minute flight been more memorable.

They were in the second row on a Hawaiian Airlines flight. The last passengers to board were in the first row — former President Barack Obama, his wife and two daughters.

“That one surprised me,” Woodland said. “I was surprised he was on a commercial flight.”

Woodland thought it was strange when they boarded the flight and were told that their overhead luggage had to be placed in the back of the plane, not in first class. Soon, he said, five or six federal agents boarded the plane.

“I knew President Obama was golfing at the same place I was, so I knew he was in town,” Woodland said. “Then I saw the Secret Service and I had a hunch. When they told us to put our luggage in the back, I’ve never seen that before in first class.”

Woodland said the flight was full, but the Obama family was the last to board and “I don’t think people even knew he was on the plane.”

“It was a great experience,” Woodland said. “There was no conversation. I wish I had talked to him, but I didn’t want to bother him either. Just seeing the whole operation – how they pulled it off, when we landed, five or six other secret services – it was great.”

Obama likes golf and sports. It is unclear whether the former president acknowledged the 2019 US Open champion at Pebble Beach. Woodland said he and his wife were asked to get off the plane first.

“I said, ‘Thank you for your service,’ when I got off the plane,” Woodland said. “I don’t know if he recognized me or not. I know people who know him and say he’s a big sports freak and golf fan. He gave me a thumbs up when I got off the plane.”