The Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) will discuss on Thursday whether to reduce the disciplinary action against professional golfer Yoon In-na, 20. Yoon In-na came under fire last year for playing with the wrong ball (not her own) and reporting it late.
The KLPGA announced on Wednesday that it will discuss Yoon In-na’s request for a disciplinary reduction at its board meeting on Thursday. Yoon played with a different ball that she found in the rough during the first round of the Korea Women’s Open, organized by the Korea Golf Association, last June. She realized during the match that the ball was not hers but took no action. She self-reported the incident to the Korea Golf Association in July last year and issued an apology.
In August last year, the Korea Golf Association’s Sports Fairness Commission imposed a three-year ban on Yoon In-na from competitions organized and hosted by the Korea Golf Association. In September of last year, the KLPGA also imposed a three-year suspension from tournaments organized and hosted by the KLPGA, stating, “Although there were extenuating circumstances such as self-reporting, we determined that she committed serious misconduct as a member of the KLPGA, including the fact that she did not notify the violation for a long period of time after violating the rules and continued to participate in tournaments after violating the rules.”
However, in September, the Korea Golf Association (KGA) reduced the suspension to one year and six months, which will end in February next year, stating that “the player complied with the association’s decision, showed a sincere spirit of reflection and reform, including volunteer work after the discipline, and considered more than 5,000 petitions for relief, as well as the public opinion that the association’s discipline was close to a severe punishment as it led to a three-year suspension from the Pro Tour.” The suspension will end in June next year. As a result, Yoon will be eligible to play in the Korean Women’s Open next June, but her participation in other KLPGA Tour events will depend on the KLPGA’s decision to reduce her suspension.
Yoon made her debut on the KLPGA Tour last year, making a name for herself as a long hitter and earning her first win in July. She reportedly donated her winnings from a U.S. mini-tour tournament to help her stay in the game during her suspension.