As you may have noticed from my articles, I struggle with the English language at the best of times. Not only that, I’m lousy at golf. Thank heavens I'm not a woman, or more specifically, a woman on the LPGA tour!Beginning in 2009, the LPGA will require all players to speak English, with players who have been LPGA members for two years facing suspension if they cannot pass an oral evaluation of English skills. The rule is effective immediately for new players.
There are 121 international players from 26 countries on the LPGA Tour, 45 of which are Korean. Angela Park, born in Brazil of South Korean heritage and raised in the United States, said the policy is fair and good for the tour and its international players. "A lot of Korean players think they are being targeted, but it’s just because there are so many of them," Park said.
When Ja Rule was contacted during his weekly hit TV talk back program "What Ja thinks", he also showed support for the new ruling, however appeared visually perplexed that the PGA doesn't also implement this unusual policy.
In mildly related news, the English Premier League also released a similar ruling earlier this year, stating that South American, African and other non-European footballers who cannot speak English will be barred from joining Premier League clubs from the autumn under the new points-based immigration system.
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