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LPGA Speak Sparks Language Debate
For someone who came from a marketing background, LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens certainly knows how to muck up a message. Her latest gaffe is a real beauty. LPGA members are, effective immediately if not sooner, required to be proficient in English. I don’t know if she means the King’s English? New England English? Southern English? or maybe just street english which is comprehensible to those under the age of 20
For someone who came from a marketing background, LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens certainly knows how to muck up a message. Her latest gaffe is a real beauty. LPGA members are, effective immediately if not sooner, required to be proficient in English. I don’t know if she means the King’s English? New England English? Southern English? or maybe just street english which is comprehensible to those under the age of 20. No one knows, since no written explanation of the policy has been made available. I’ m certain at least one of the LPGA muckity mucks has the ability to put fingers on a keyboard and produce a written copy of the policy and the consequences of non compliance for the public record. Although maybe not, since news reports indicate that no such document was available to the Korean players after their mandatory meeting August 20th informing them of the policy.
It does the LPGA a great disservice when the public is made aware of this policy through an article such as that which appears on ESPN.com. ( a site which more and more resembles the National Enquirer in its sensationalistic writing). There is nothing on LPGA.com at this time about this new policy. Some of the quotes make me believe that actual thought was put into the policy development yet none was devoted to the release. It makes an idea which makes sense as a business decision into a racist, elitist affront to foreign players. Why would this not have been crafted by a professional advertiser or PR agency. Heck go cheap and get a politician, they know how to make most people feel good about getting mugged by the government, this would have been easy to present with soft edges and a sweet taste. No not the Commish, she’s gotta throw it out like a giant rock through a plate glass window, much screaming and a whole lot of blood.
I could rant all day about the failings of the glorious Commish, but the policy is the thing.. First, this is a good idea. Skewer me if you must, but it will go quite far in furthering the LPGA as a professional tour and a business. I’ve wanted to know more about the ladies who play golf so well but am limited by lack of information. I have to believe that most of them have actual personalities which remain hidden from public view behind the barrier of language. I know I become quite uncomfortable when I’m in a situation where I can’t really communicate with anyone so I appear shy, reserved, and quiet. Those are not the first three adjectives folks who know me would reach for when asked to describe me to others. I have to believe the same applies to foreign players in this country. These ladies must have some interesting stories to tell and inspiration to share but because of the language barrier what do we get but silence or single word answers.
If I were paying money to play an LPGA pro am event, I’d want to be able to communicate with my pro, without a translator. (Translators serve a purpose, however I never really trust them entirely, the result of listening to a 45 second conversation I can’t understand which translates into 5 words of english. Something gets lost there, the nuance perhaps) Simple language skills will relieve a lot of the uncomfortable silences that have to take place during a round. Silences which can translate into aloofness will be passed on to friends and aquaintances as a bad experience. Surely would sour me on a product if one of it’s promoters impressed in that way.
Players will not be left high and dry to learn on their own. The LPGA has said, hidden somewhere in the muddied waters of this giant fiasco, it will provide tutors and learning aides as assistance. It’s not in anyone’s interest to send players packing because they can play but not talk. Playing skills are more important than language skills yes, but the language skills are not something anyone can do without in a market where sponsor’s are getting harder to find. It makes sense to improve the tour’s marketability, language skills are a means to that end. I can’t see the tour allowing vast numbers of foreign players to be suspended over their inability to speak english, that would be publicity as bad as this amateurish release of policy.
We’ll have to see after the firestorm how this will affect both the tour and the players. I hope it means we get to meet some great golfers as people. For those of you who think it should be all about the golf, I’m sorry but that vanished when the game became international. It’s all about the benjamins. Especially now, when entertainment dollars are at a premium. A product, and professional golf is a product, needs international ambassadors who can communicate in the language of money. That would be the english language, and every player on the tour needs to be an ambassador for the game. This language policy is one way to expand the product line.
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
bobsuruncle
Sep 5, 2008 at 1:05 pm
I say “let the clubs do the talking”. That is the one true measure in this game.
Do you think that Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt should have learnt conversational chinese and given their victory speaches in mandarin at the Beijing Olympics? After all, they had a good 4 years to prepare! Or should Lance Armstrong be fluent in French before he rode in the Tour de France? Or the africans in english before they run the NY or Boston marathon?
The most successful soccer league in the world is the English Premier League (EPL). Look at the top 4 teams – they are all made up of foreign coaches and players. There’s hardly an englishman amongst them. Would the EPL be as successful without the best players in the world? Notice that it’s not the best “english-speaking” players in the world.
The large money in sports is via television rights. Sponsors are attracted to the TV viewing stats. TV viewers don’t hear a single word being spoken by any of the players in 4-5 hours of telecast. Yes, it’s nice for sponsors to have some clients out for the pro-am but that’s not where the real money is.
TD
Sep 2, 2008 at 1:21 pm
OK folks….what does the LPGA stand for? Especially the A. What is the official language of the “A”. If these folks want to play on a tour in AMERICA, they should at least learn to communicate to some degree. AS for the comment about it not making any difference if they can communicate with their pro am partners……..with out pro ams and the public there would be no LPGA…it is very important.
All that said, however, the message was delivered in a most unprofessional way and I don’t blame those that were and are offended. It is unfortunate that the message was obliterated by the delivery.
Just another blunder by the new commish………..any bets how long she lasts like this?
8thehardway
Sep 2, 2008 at 3:25 am
Tempest in a teapot.
If you’re any good you have handlers to make sure nothing interesting is revealed to the press so I wouldn’t expect you’ll ‘get to know” much about foreign players. And acceptance speeches are beyond vapid, so no loss there. It would be nice however, if all players could yell out a comprehensible “FORE LEFT” should the occassion arise. Come to think of it, why stop with English? Basic math skills could come in handy for telling a pro-am partner he carded an 8 and not the six he wrote down.
They should also become familiar with our customs. It doesn’t seem fair that foreigners take our money and can’t speak out language. Would it kill them to learn the words to “God Bless America” and sing it on the first tee before being allowed to play?
Tim Schoch
Aug 30, 2008 at 3:28 pm
As I say in my article down at the bottom of the home page, I don’t understand why so many companies try to change people instead of their own system or vision or thinking.
It is a challenge like this that could lead to real innovations in broadcasting and international assimilation in a sport. Instead of pressuring themselves to rise to the challenge, the LPGA is putting the pressure on the athletes who will be expected to putt for dough and speak English for show.
Don
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:49 am
Crazy Gaijins and their rules.
How did some of the foreign players get into us universities without speaking english. Seems like the exploitation of others is fine as long as it suits them.
As for marketing, white america are not the only golfers; why not sell the spots with foreign players to corporate sponsors with an interest in that player. or how aboout a category like “low gross by and english speaking player”. That would be something the media and all stats crazy people could grab onto.
Jebb
Aug 29, 2008 at 9:43 am
Mr Schuster,
With respect you are quite wrong in your thinking about this. It isnt a good rule and can you name me one other sport in the world that requires proficiency in a foreign language?
To be honest who cares what happens in the Pro Ams before the tournament. It just isnt important and anyone can say “good shot” or give a thumbs up.
Plus your line about wanting to know more about these players is absurd. We recently had the British Open and the foreign players got along fine. They were a credit to their countries.
Not only that but can you honestly tell me we know a lot about the likes of Annika or worse still Karrie Webb. They seem to play without emotion and the interviews could never be described as revealing.
Its an overblown and overbearing idea from folks who think they are the centre of the universe.
bobsuruncle
Aug 29, 2008 at 3:17 am
I think this rule is absolute nonsense. Yes, I agree with the need to market the product (both the game and the players of the game) and that the medium of marketing is English. However, the LPGA should have “encouraged” the use of the English language and not make it a mandatory rule with the penalty of suspension. After all, an article claimed they are already providing assistance in the form of language lessons, etc.
God-given (sports) talent is not simply the exclusive purview of the Americans or the English. The fastest man on earth is Jamaican, the best female pole vaulter is Russian, …and the list goes on. What if Tiger Woods happened to be born a Korean? Does the PGA dismiss his 14 Majors, suspend him and make us fans watch (with all due respect) Bob May play Fred Funk instead? Get real.