The U.S. women's golf association said Friday it will rescind its controversial plans to impose a mandatory English requirement on foreign players, a policy that was seen as a way to reduce the legions of formidable South Korean competitors.
"We have decided to rescind those penalty provisions," LPGA Commissioner Carolyn F. Biven was quoted as saying by Yonhap News in a statement. "The LPGA will announce a revised approach, absent playing penalties, by the end of 2008."
The announcement comes days after some of its official sponsors opposed the LPGA's plans announced last month to suspend foreign players who fail to meet English-language requirements. A California state senator and some human rights groups threatened to bring legal action against the LPGA, branding the plan as possible discrimination against foreign players.
U.S. as well as foreign media have also denounced the LPGA's plans for targeting South Korean players who have swept LPGA titles in recent years.
"The LPGA has received valuable feedback from a variety of constituents regarding the recently announced penalties attached to our Effective Communications Policy," the statement said. "After hearing the concerns, we believe there are other ways to achieve our shared objective of supporting and enhancing the business opportunities for every Tour player."
The LPGA also said it will continue "communicating with our diverse Tour players to develop a better alternative," while providing members with "the best cross-cultural training in the form of tutors, translators, Rosetta Stone, the official language-learning system of the LPGA, as well as assistance from LPGA staff and consultants" under the three-year-old Kolon-LPGA Cross Cultural Program, according to Yonhap.
Announcing its plans for the English test program, the LPGA said in August that it wanted foreign players to "communicate with our core audiences in English during media interviews, pro-am and winner acceptance speeches" so they could "know that effective communication in English is vital to LPGA business and the success of our members."
Scores of South Korean women golfers, known as Pak Se-ri kids, flocked to the U.S. after Pak joined the U.S. LPGA in 1998 to win 25 titles, including five majors. She became the first Asian to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, surpassing Karrie Webb as the youngest living inductee.
Pak recently said she supported the English proficiency policy, but added she preferred fines to suspensions.
While the LPGA is based in the United States, it features 121 international players from 26 countries. South Korea has the tour's largest international contingent with 45 players.