Women golfers must pass English test

Norton, Massachusetts: Golf players around the world are stuck for words over a proposal from the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) requiring its players to speak English.

British Open champion Padraig Harrington expressed astonishment that the LPGA Tour would require players to speak English.

Tour organisers plan to introduce an English test for all players from next year and failure would result in suspension, said a report in Golfweek magazine.

But the world of tennis has no such concerns with the International Tennis Federation saying they have no problem with players using translators for interviews.

Irish golfer Harrington attacked the LPGA Tour's idea, saying: "It is an amazing statement.

"The person that brought it to my attention did ask: 'Does that mean if you're mute you can't play golf on the LPGA Tour?'

"Do you have to pass an exam? Who draws the line about how many words you've got to know in English?"

The US-based women's tour currently has 121 international players from 26 countries, including 45 from South Korea alone.

'Big step'

Harrington, who successfully defended his British Open crown last month before winning the US PGA Championship three weeks later, described the plan as a big step.

He said: "Some people are natural talkers and some people aren't. What if you have a person who genuinely struggles with learning a new language, they have a learning disability?

"There are people out there who don't naturally pick up second languages."

Golfweek said from 2009 all players who have been on the LPGA Tour for two years must pass the oral English test.

LPGA Deputy Commissioner Libba Galloway said the "measurement time" would be at the end of next year but hoped that the need for suspensions would not arise.

She said: "If it does, we wouldn't just say: 'Come back next year'.

"What we would do is work with them on where they fell short, provide them the resources they need, the tutoring."

Galloway said the LPGA was in "the sports entertainment business" and that there was a need to interact with fans and sponsors.

South Korean golfer Pak Se-ri backed the idea.

"We agree we should speak some English," she told Golfweek.

"We play so good overall. When you win, you should give your speech in English."

Tennis' US Open currently has 50 countries represented but Nick Imison, director of communications for the International Tennis Federation, said they had no plans to introduce a language test.

Not an issue

He said: "There isn't an issue at this year's US Open of players not speaking English, and those that don't speak English fluently still attempt to speak enough English to be able to conduct press conferences in that language."

Russian world number five Nikolay Davydenko, who tries his best to conduct post-match interviews in English, was sympathetic to athletes struggling with a new language.

"I know you need to speak English. I know I need to speak with everyone familiar in English," Davydenko said. "But maybe we need also translator."

Do you think such a language test is justified for players? Or should organisers arrange for translators as was practised before? How do you see such regulations affecting their performance? Send your views to letter2editor@gulfnews.com