ONE OF AUGUSTA National’s newest members was turning heads at the famous Georgia course yesterday — former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Amid the final preparations ahead of the Masters tee-off, Rice played 18 holes with three-time champion Phil Mickelson.

Rice made history last summer when, along with South Carolina businesswoman Darla Moore, she was invited to become the first female member of the traditionally men-only club.

Afterwards Mickelson couldn’t stop talking about her game and told reporters of the monster putt she made on 18, which he described as a 40-footer with about 18 feet of break.

“Perfect pace,” he said. “Her speed, touch, being able to read the greens. She one of the better members on the greens that I’ve seen.”

Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker and Adam Scott were among the other pros in action yesterday as they fine-tuned their game for the season’s first Major, which begins on Thursday.

– Additional reporting by Doug Ferguson, AP

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