Charles Barkley accuses Augusta National Golf Club of `blatant racism'

Jet, March 25, 2002

The outspoken Charles Barkley is accusing Augusta National Golf Club of "blatant racism," saying the reason behind recent changes to the course was to keep Tiger Woods from winning the Masters.

"Jack Nicklaus won the Masters six damn times, and he was hitting it past everybody else, and they never made a change," the former NBA star said in a recent issue of Sports Illustrated. "What they're doing to Tiger is blatant racism.

"Tiger wouldn't say it, but I got no damn problem saying it for him. We need Black athletes to speak out. Michael (Jordan) could do it and Tiger could do it, but you have to be willing to be ridiculed. I'm willing to be ridiculed," Barkley said about athletes having the platform to speak out, but don't always because of their "certain image."

Augusta National spokesman Glenn Greenspan said the club had no comment. Recent renovations, which include nearly 300 additional yards to the length of the course, were announced the day before last year's Masters, which Woods won by two shots. Woods, who also won the green jacket in 1997, was asked a few weeks ago whether the changes were intended for him.

"I spoke to (chairman) Hootie (Johnson) about the changes, and the changes are not for me," said Woods, the only Black golfer to win the Masters. "They're for the kids that are coming up in the future. I'm not that long anymore."