FOR ALL THE attention golfing greats will command next week at the 77th Masters, it will be two 58-year-old American women in green jackets who will make history at Augusta National Golf Club.
Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina financier Darla Moore were unveiled last August as the first women members admitted to the formerly all-men’s club in Augusta National’s 80-year history.
“It’s a tremendous honour,” Rice said. “It’s a great institution. It does wonderful things for the game of golf. I look forward to being part of some of the initiatives to grow the game of golf.”
Ten years ago, activist Martha Burk led a rally across the street from the club during the third round of the Masters urging the inclusion of women at Augusta National, which admitted its first black member in 1990. Hootie Johnson, Augusta National’s chairman at the time, released broadcast sponsors from advertising commitments when Burk threatened to target them for backing the club’s men-only policy as discrimination.
The issue flared again last year as Virginia Rometty became chief executive of IBM, many noting that previous chief executives of the electronics giant had been Augusta National members.
Augusta National chairman Billy Payne called the arrival of Moore and Rice as members a “joyous occasion” in announcing the move, saying their process for admission was the same as for any other prospective member candidates.
“Consideration with regard to any candidate is deliberate, held in strict confidence and always takes place over an extended period of time,” Payne said. “The process for Condoleezza and Darla was no different.
“These accomplished women share our passion for the game of golf and both are well known and respected by our membership.”
Rice called Augusta National “a very special place” and spoke of her love for the game, saying, “I just wish somebody had put a club in my hand when I was six.”
Rice served as national security adviser under former President George W. Bush and became secretary of state in his second term in office. She became the first black woman to serve as a provost of Stanford University in 1993 and is now a professor of political economy at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.
“I have visited Augusta National on several occasions and look forward to playing golf, renewing friendships and forming new ones through this very special opportunity,” Rice said in a statement released by the club.
Moore is vice president of private investment company Rainwater Incorporated and was the first woman to be profiled on the cover of Fortune Magazine.
“Above all, Augusta National and the Masters tournaments have always stood for excellence, and that is what is so important to me,” Moore said.
