Bella Mariani loves golf. She’s spent all summer in golf camps at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge. She dreams of playing golf on the LPGA tour one day.
She and her friend hit the course yesterday hoping to grab a few local sport celebrity autographs during the Seattle Seahawk’s Rumble at the Ridge Golf competition; part of a week-long line-up of golf activities leading up to this weekend’s senior PGA Boeing Classic Golf Tournament.
Bella’s autograph seeking landed her on King 5 News last night, which used TPC’s Rumble at the Ridge tournament as a back drop for a story about The Augusta National Golf Club finally admitting women into its membership ranks since golf legend Bobby Jones founded the Georgia course nearly 80 years ago.
Bella got to voice her opinion on the momentous day for women golfers and as Seattle Sounder, Brad Evans, called it, “progress.” She was composed when describing how women can hit the golf ball far like men and stating, “We’re both equal.”
The men-only Augusta National Golf Club came under nation-wide pressure to admit women golfers after this year’s Masters Tournament sponsor, IBM’s female CEO Ginni Rometty was not offered a membership, something Augusta National usually does for the CEOs of its big three corporate sponsors.
Yesterday, Augusta National invited two women, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina businesswoman Darla Moore, to join the historic golf club and wear the infamous golfing green jackets.
To see Bella’s interview click HERE.
Great job Bella, and the TPC course sparkled in the sunshine, too!
