First Two Women Allowed To Join Augusta National Golf Club

The prestigious club broke its 80-year men-only policy for former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and financier Darla Moore.

Augusta National Golf Club

Image by Scott Halleran / Getty Images

Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Golf Tournament, has invited Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore to join the club in green jackets this October.

This historic change comes on the heels of controversy at Masters 2012, where IBM CEO Virginia Rometty was not offered membership to the club, despite all four of IBM’s previous (male) heads being welcomed in. At the tournament, Rometty wore a pink jacket.

Hootie Johnson, the club’s former chairman, once famously said that Augusta might someday have a female member, “but not at the point of a bayonet.”

“These accomplished women share our passion for the game of golf and both are well known and respected by our membership. It will be a proud moment when we present Condoleezza and Darla their green jackets when the club opens this fall. This is a significant and positive time in our club’s history and, on behalf of our membership, I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome them and all of our new members into the Augusta National family.”

- Augusta National chairman Billy Payne

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

Image by Paul Sakuma / AP

South Carolina financier Darla Moore

Source: gsabusiness.com