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CNN Live Saturday

Interview With Nicole Jeray

Aired August 31, 2002 - 18:14   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: The next Masters Golf Tournament broadcast is going to look a little like public television. The Augusta National Golf Club has decided it would rather televise the Masters without lucrative commercial sponsorship than to accept women as members. LPGA golfer Nicole Jeray is on the phone with us from Lebanon, Missouri with some thoughts on the controversy.
Ms. Jeray, thanks very much for being with us.

NICOLE JERAY, LPGA: Thanks, Martin, it's great to be here.

SAVIDGE: Well, what do you think? Are you really bent out of shape by this? And should women golfers be upset?

JERAY: Bent out of shape, it's a strong word. I mean, it's crazy that women can't be members of this club, but you know, it's a private club. If that's what the want to do, that's what they can do.

SAVIDGE: Exactly. It may seem distasteful to many of us. We may not agree with it, but they are private. So they can go ahead and do that, I guess. But should the PGA have a major golf tournament at such a gold facility, if that's the case?

JERAY: Well, yes, I mean the Masters have so much history in it. I mean, the world would not be the same without the Masters golf tournament. I mean, it's a great tournament. It's been around for years. I've had a wonderful golf club. Women can go and watch and tournament. And it's not that they can't -- the women can play the golf course. And it's just that they can't be members.

SAVIDGE: I guess what this boils down to is do you see this as discrimination?

JERAY: Not -- I guess it's really -- it's not really -- I mean, it's their prerogative. They can do that. I mean, it would be discrimination if they didn't let us come to the tournament. That would be awful.

SAVIDGE: Would you like to be a member of Augusta?

JERAY: Would I like -- no, who would want to be a member with a bunch of guys that don't want women to be members?

SAVIDGE: I...

JERAY: I mean I'm sure there's -- women wouldn't even want to be members. I mean, I wouldn't even want -- my husband's not going to be a member of that golf club. My goodness.

SAVIDGE: So in the long...

JERAY: You know what I mean? I mean, in this kind of -- I don't know. Yes. No, I wouldn't want to be a member there.

SAVIDGE: But in the long run of golf, I mean, we -- obviously golf is a game you want to include just about everyone. Doesn't this harm the impression of the sport that so many people love?

JERAY: Well golf is -- I mean, golf does include everyone. It just so happens that this club doesn't allow women to be members.

SAVIDGE: Will you watch?

JERAY: Oh, of course, yes. I -- definitely watch, just because they don't allow -- I mean, it's not even something most people know. Most people don't even know that members aren't allowed -- I mean, women aren't allowed to be members there.

SAVIDGE: That's true.

JERAY: I don't think it's going to -- it hurts the tournament at all. And it's a fantastic tournament. You know, like as far as being on the LPGA and LPGA player, I wouldn't play in a tournament or at a golf course that wouldn't let women be members. And I don't the LPGA would have a tournament at a golf course with no women members. But you know, in a few years, they're going to have women as members.

SAVIDGE: All right, well...

JERAY: They're just a little slow, probably.

SAVIDGE: We'll look forward to that day. Nicole Jeray, thank you very much for your insights. Good luck to you.

JERAY: Thank you.

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