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LPGA to Test Players' English

Tour worries about sponsor interaction as foreign players increase

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 26, 2008 4:12 PM CDT

(Newser) – The LPGA will begin mandatory oral English tests for its players next year, and those who fail face suspension and required tutoring, Golfweek reports. The tour is stressing the importance of English as players from Asia have come to play a prominent role in the sport. Of the 121 international players on the tour this year, 45 are from South Korea.

The LPGA says it's essential that players be able to talk with pro-am partners—a lucrative source of income—and to give press conferences in English. "We don’t have a job if we don’t entertain,” said the president of the Player Executive Committee. “In my mind, that’s as big a part of the job as shooting under par.”

[Images (4)]

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Na Yeon Choi of South Korea tees off at a tournament in July. (AP Photo)

Golfer Mi Hyun Kim, left, of South Korea, is drenched by fellow South Korean LPGA players, from left, Sun Young Yoo, Jee Young Lee, Young Jo and Meena Lee following her victory in the LPGA SemGroup Championship... (AP Photo)

Jin Joo Hong of South Korea tees off at a tournament in July. (AP Photo)

Angela Park tees off on the 14th hole in the first round of the Safeway Classic golf tournament in Portland, Ore., Friday, Aug. 22, 2008. Park finished with a 6-under-par 66. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

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The LPGA could come out and say they only want 10 Koreans, but they’re not. A lot of Korean players think they are being targeted, but it’s just because there are so many of them. - Angela Park

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LPGA to Test Players' English