When the Masters golf tournament is held each year at Augusta National, an exclusive, all-male club, the CEOs of the top corporate sponsor companies are typically invited to become club members. This honor that includes getting to wear the club's rather unsightly green blazer — which is awarded ceremoniously to the tournament's winner. When Virginia Rometty became CEO of IBM, one of the tournament's top sponsors, earlier this year, people wondered whether Augusta would extend a membership and a green blazer to Rometty, despite her gender.
Though neither Augusta nor IBM will comment at all on the matter, Rometty was not wearing a green blazer at yesterday's final day of the tournament, suggesting that she was not offered membership.
She was spotted in the audience "in a pink jacket" — something many reporters covering her attendance were quick to point out. (In two separate articles, The "Wall Street Journal" announced that "Her jacket was pink, not green," and that she was "wearing a pink blazer, white pants and white shoes.")
My gosh, a woman wearing pink! What does it mean? It's possible Rometty's decision to wear pink had nothing to do with Augusta's "only men get to wear our green jackets" policies. Let's review some possible explanations (of varying probability) for her choice.
1. It was Easter.
2. Pink is golf's hottest new trend.
3. Pink blazers are in style this season.
4. She was channeling her inner Kardashian.
5. She thought the green blazer was ugly.
