Augusta, Ga.
Good morning from Augusta National.
Tiger Woods is wearing all black and teed off at 9:42 a.m. Central time., and you might want to watch the last four threesomes of the day, which include Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen, Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott, Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson.
Woods was at even par thought the first two holes, and you can follow The Masters leadboard here.
Wednesday, new Masters Chairman Fred Ridley announced that Augusta National will establish the Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship, which will debut the week before next year's Masters.
For a club featuring only a few female members, a club that is rooted in institutional racism and misogyny, this is a major if belated development.
Instead of sticking to the club's ``We'll change only when we want to change'' mindset, Ridley delved into Masters history and shrewdly found cases of the club's forefathers talking about growing golf's reach and popularity.
And how better to do that than by helping popularize women's golf?
Ridley is a former amateur champion. He appears to care more about the game than the business of the game.
``Golf's a great game,'' Ridley said. ``Hopefully, it's color blind, it's blind to gender.''
That may not be historically true. Ridley could help make it more true.
-----
You can find the rest of our Masters coverage in the newspaper and at startribune.com.
You can find my podcasts at mnspn.com.
