Augusta admits first female members

By Washington correspondent Lisa Millar, wires

Updated August 21, 2012 08:12:04

Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters golf tournament, has finally ended an all-male policy that has endured for 80 years by announcing two women will be admitted as members.

The club was under growing pressure to admit women, with both president Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney adding to calls for the doors to be opened.

Former US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina businesswoman Darla Moore are the first to be offered membership.

"This is a joyous occasion as we enthusiastically welcome secretary Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore as members of Augusta National Golf Club," club chairman Billy Payne said in a statement.

Mr Payne, who has refused in the past to speak publicly about membership matters, did not directly address the gender bar issue, saying only that it was a "significant and positive time" for the club and that Ms Rice and Ms Moore were subjected to the same review as other candidates.

"Consideration with regard to any candidate is deliberate, held in strict confidence and always takes place over an extended period of time," he said.

"The process for Condoleezza and Darla was no different."

Mr Obama had increased the pressure on Augusta National to drop its restrictive policy when he said in April that women should be allowed to join the all-male club.

"He welcomes this development, thinks it was too long in coming but obviously believes it's the right thing to do," White House spokesman Jay Carney told a news briefing.

Tim Finchem, commissioner of the US PGA Tour, also applauded the announcement.

"At a time when women represent one of the fastest growing segments in both playing and following the game of golf, this sends a positive and inclusive message for our sport," he said in a statement.

Ms Rice, recently appointed to the US Golf Association's nominating committee, said in a statement: "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."

ABC/wires

Tags: golf, sport, united-states

First posted August 21, 2012 07:30:19

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Mickelson storms up Augusta leaderboard

Updated April 08, 2012 14:07:23

Three-time champion Phil Mickelson made a third-round surge to leave himself a shot behind leader Peter Hanson after the third day at the US Masters.

Hanson stands on 9-under-par after ending his round with back-to-back birdies to shoot a 65, the round of the tournament so far, on only his second visit to Augusta.

The Swede will go out on the final round with the popular left-hander Mickelson who was the talk of the course.

Mickelson's 6-under-par round of 66, included a 30 on the back nine - one shy of a tournament record - and consisted of numerous superb putts as well as an audacious chip on the 15th.

Afterwards he credited his comeback on the first day to finish at two-over-par, when at one stage he had been four over, with giving him a chance to be in position to grab a fourth green jacket.

Mickelson previously won the Masters in 2004, 2006 and 2010.

A bogey on the last cost Louis Oosthuizen a share of second place going into the final day and he stands alone in third place on 7-under, one clear of Bubba Watson in fourth who shot a 70.

Matt Kuchar is alone in fifth position on 5-under, while three-time major winner Padraig Harrington and first-round leader Lee Westwood are a shot back in sixth, along with Hunter Mahan and Henrik Stenson

Overnight leader Fred Couples stands on 2-under-par after a disappointing third round.

Geoff Ogilvy is the leading Australian on 1-over-par with Adam Scott one shot further back.

Four bogeys and a double bogey on the back nine saw Aaron Baddeley's challenge capitulate. His 77 leaves him on 3-over alongside Tiger Woods.

The four-time champion hit a level-par 72 and admitted he needs a lot of help to challenge on the final day.

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted April 08, 2012 09:18:51

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Amateur Macpherson undaunted at Augusta

Updated April 03, 2012 20:17:09

He is officially ranked equal 1,434th in the world but Australian amateur Bryden Macpherson has lofty goals at the Masters - and local knowledge to help achieve them.

The 21-year-old Victorian finds himself competing with the best players in the world at Augusta National this week thanks to his triumph in the 2011 British Amateur - the first by an Australian in more than 50 years.

As a member of Golf Australia's national squad, Macpherson has long been earmarked for big things.

While he is keenly aware how big a step up this is, the youngster's enthusiasm and confidence are infectious.

"This is the massive stage. It's the big stage of the big stage," Macpherson said after a practice round on Monday.

"Every player here is either in the top 50 in the world, has won an event or is a legend of the game, that's the company you're in, so I'm obviously super-excited."

While most amateurs would be thrilled to just make the cut, Macpherson has loftier ambitions.

Having attended college at the University of Georgia nearby for the past two years he has had the chance to play the ultra-private course before and hopes that knowledge propels him to The Silver Cup, awarded to the low amateur.

It also ensures he will have plenty of local support, something the youngster loves.

The spirited Macpherson spent his practice round holing out chips and sticking approach shots very close, revving the galleries up any chance he had.

"I love to win tournaments. You never show up to come second," he said.

"You put in all the preparation to win and if you turn up and say `I just want to make the cut', that doesn't make sense.

"I firmly believe I can realistically finish in the top 16 and get an invite back here, that's my result goal.

"But if I do something ridiculously good that's great.

"I know that if I play phenomenal golf for four days, I can win. If I make 14 pars and four birdies every round I can win.

"But the likelihood of doing that under the pressure is another story."

Five amateurs

There are five other amateurs in the 97-man field - Americans Patrick Cantlay, Kelly Kraft, Randal Lewis and Corbin Mills, plus Hideki Matsuyama from Japan.

Macpherson defeated Kraft last week in the Georgia Cup, (an exhibition between the British Amateur and US Amateur winners) to come in with added confidence.

Matsuyama is the only one of the amateurs to have played the Masters before, returning as last year's Silver Cup winner after finishing 27th.

The six get to attend the annual amateur dinner together and stay together in the famous Crows Nest, the traditional lodgings for amateurs perched above the clubhouse.

"Arguably we are the best amateurs in the world and that's what it's supposed to be, the best players, the masters so to speak," Macpherson says.

"I have played the course maybe nine or 10 times and that's more than most rookies so that will be an advantage.

"But I try not to think of myself in a different class. It's my first Masters just like anyone else, just like Jason Day last year, and he was second."

Macpherson withdrew from university in February so he could work with his coaches in Australia ahead of the Masters and a future professional career.

He spent five weeks working on swing mechanics and now expects to tee it up on the US PGA Tour in the Memorial Tournament in late May, if not before.

Father Mark, mother Debbie and a handful of friends have made the trek from Melbourne to support his efforts.

"Who wouldn't dream of being the first Australian Masters winner as an amateur," a proud Mark Macpherson said.

"You never know. He has an incredible work ethic, even from a young age and he comes into every tournament to win, it doesn't matter what tournament it is."

Macpherson says if not him, he hopes one of his fellow Australians can breaks the country's 76-year winless drought at Augusta National this year.

"To be the first amateur in a long time and the first Aussie to win, obviously that would be amazing," he says.

"But I just hope all of the Aussies play well this week and I hope that six of us can be there on Sunday proud of one another and have one of us put on the green jacket."

AAP

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted April 03, 2012 20:17:09

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Baddeley leads Aussie charge at Augusta

Updated April 06, 2012 10:34:30

Aaron Baddeley is flying Australia's flag at the Masters in Augusta, while English world number one Luke Donald's survived a major scorecard scare.

Baddeley posted a one-under par 71 to be the leading Australian, while Donald avoided disqualification after a smudge on his scorecard led to what Masters officials called an "administrating error."

Donald shot a 75 but faced a scorecard review after a scorekeeper misread his fifth-hole score of five and recorded it as a three.

The Englishman was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing, while compatriot Lee Westwood raced to the top of the leaderboard with a five-under par 67.

Baddeley was the only Australian to finish under par after compatriot John Senden bogeyed his final hole to finish with a two-over 74.

With seemingly perfect scoring conditions following overnight rains the Augusta National course gurus tried to guard against low scores by putting out tough pin placements.

The tactic worked against the Australian big guns with Geoff Ogilvy (74), Adam Scott (75) and Jason Day (76) all struggling in the opening round while amateur Bryden Macpherson also found the going tough on the way to a 77.

Baddeley fashioned a birdie on the second hole but bogeyed the sixth before a cracking three iron on the par five 13th allowed him to two-putt for birdie.

When he hit a wedge to almost gimme range on the 17th he converted to get to two-under but bogeyed the last to post his 71.

"They put some tough pins out there today," Baddeley confirmed.

"That front side there really wasn't many birdie opportunities at all.

"You want to shoot as low as you can, but 71 is a good start.

"I felt like I played well, I felt like I played better and better as the day went on, which I was pleased about."

Day, in doubt before play with an ankle strain played through the pain despite the injury being too close to a tendon for a painkilling injection.

The 2011 runner-up will potentially need a second round similar to last year, when he posted an eight-under 64 to move into contention.

ABC/AAP

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted April 06, 2012 08:27:01

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