Annika Sorenstam Confirmed As Member At Augusta National

Annika Sorenstam has been confirmed as a member of Augusta National Golf Club, becoming the first female professional golfer to join the prestigious club.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="713"] Annika Sorenstam becomes newest female Member at Augusta National |Photo Credit: Rob Schumacher/USA TODAY Sports[/caption] 10-time LPGA major champion Annika Sorenstam becomes the newest female member at Augusta National Golf Club, according to a report by Golfweek. Fred Ridley, who played alongside Sorenstam at an opening member event last week at Augusta National, confirmed the information.

Augusta National's History

According to Kingdom Golf, Augusta National Golf Club is a golf club in Augusta, Georgia, United States. Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts established the course in 1932 on the grounds of the former nursery and antebellum estate known as Fruitland. The course, designed by Jones and Alister MacKenzie, first opened to the public in 1932. Since 1934, the club has hosted the Masters Tournament, the only men's professional golf major to be held at the same course annually. In 1932, Augusta National Golf Club was established as a whites-only establishment; it wasn't until 1990 that a black man was admitted. In 2012, Condoleezza Rice, then the Secretary of State of the United States, and Darla Moore, a wealthy businesswoman from South Carolina, were the first women admitted.

Significance of Sorenstam's Membership

For a number of reasons, Sorenstam's membership as the first LPGA pro at Augusta National is noteworthy. Sorenstam has won 72 official LPGA tournaments, including 10 majors and 24 other international tournaments, and is widely considered one of the best female golfers of all time. Additionally, Augusta National has a long-standing reputation as an exclusive and private club, with membership being a traditionally private matter. Members of the club, estimated to number over 300, comprise some of the world's wealthiest and most influential businessmen, but the club has taken extraordinary precautions to ensure that their identities remain concealed. Furthermore, Sorenstam's membership is a move towards greater diversity in golf and a symbol of development for women's golf. Other confirmed female Augusta National members include Heidi Ueberroth, co-chairman of Pebble Beach Co.; Diana Murphy, former USGA president; Ginni Rometty, former IBM CEO; and Ana Botin, executive chairman of Santander Group.