Obama: Admit women to club hosting Masters

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama believes women should be admitted as members to the all-male Augusta National, home of the Masters golf tournament, a White House spokesman said.

Press secretary Jay Carney told reporters yesterday that Obama's "personal opinion is that women should be admitted" to the golf club. Carney said it was "up to the club to decide" but Obama told him he personally thinks women should be welcome.

"We're kind of long past the time when women should be excluded from anything," Carney said.

One of the club's longtime sponsors, IBM, has a new female chief executive, Virginia Rometty. The last four CEOs at IBM, all male, have been invited to be members.

Mitt Romney, Obama's likely GOP challenger in the fall, said "of course" he would allow women in "if I could run Augusta."

The chairman of Augusta National said this week the club will decide for itself whom to allow in its ranks. Play began Thursday. -- AP