Bivens was right

[Blue]

Carolyn Bivens was bumbling and incompetent on most things during her reign as LPGA commissioner, but she was right about one thing. Players should speak English. It's not illegal to make them do so and their lack of English hurts them and hurts the LPGA. Unfortunately her heavy-handed approach to the English policy caused its demise before it was even implemented.

Did we ever see a better example of the need for players to speak English then at the end of today's Sybase Match Play when they couldn't even speak to the winner, Sun Young Yoo because she "didn't feel comfortable speaking English?"

She wouldn't speak English. Couldn't speak English. Wouldn't even try. Wasn't there a translator available? This at one of the highest profile tournaments of the year.

An Epic Fail for the LPGA and Michael Whan's first big fumble.

[LoJo]

She obviously CAN speak English because we heard her speaking to her caddie in English!

Not giving just a simple "Thank you. I'm very happy" type of comment afterwards would have been the thing to do.

I agree it was a fumble and the LPGA should REQUIRE their winners to say something....anything....afterwards. All the non-English speaking players can learn a few simple sentences. They don't need to be interviewed at length.

And, yeah.....no translators available? Sheesh.

[xman5]

After much thought I don't think it really matters. A 30 second interview not shown anywhere has no meaning.

Se Re Pak did an interview on the green last week, what did it matter.

Here is the interview. Im so happy. I played well.

Leave the girl alone. Remember the rule they wanted was mainly to be friendly for pro-ams.

[RainDelay]

I'm just guessing here, but I bet there was a translator at the club house scoring area/interview area. The fact that the match ended on the 17th hole may have had something to do with a translator not being there. They should have had a translator with the group in the event the match ended early. Again, I'm just guessing.

[Blue]

It's not necessarily what she would say. Everyone says the same thing after they win, but hearing from the players directly goes a long way toward creating familiarity between the fans and the players. Fans get a sense of their personality even if it's only 30 seconds and it helps to see that the players are human.

Look at last year's State Farm when IK Kim spoke the media. People were surprised at how personable she was and at the fact that she was very comfortable speaking English. She became an instant favorite from among the Korean players after that.

Compare that with the Open when Eun Hee Ji could only speak through a translator. It created a totally different vibe.

It's no coincidence that the fans' favorite Korean players are all players who speak English fairly well (Se Ri, Jiyai, IK, etc.). They like them because they feel they know them.

Bivens' stated intent may have been to have players speak English for communication in pro-ams. But it's obvious you can't minimize the effect of not being able to speak to the media in English either.

If one of the goals of the LPGA is to create more familiarity between the fans and the players, especially the non-American players, these players have to be able to communicate in English.

That's my view.

[xman5]

Also they did not need to say she was uncomfortable giving the interview. Cut her some slack here.

[xman5]

Originally Posted by Blue

It's not necessarily what she would say. Everyone says the same thing after they win, but hearing from the players directly goes a long way toward creating familiarity between the fans and the players. Fans get a sense of their personality even if it's only 30 seconds and it helps to see that the players are human.

Look at last year's State Farm when IK Kim spoke the media. People were surprised at how personable she was and at the fact that she was very comfortable speaking English. She became an instant favorite from among the Korean players after that.

Compare that with the Open when Eun Hee Ji could only speak through a translator. It created a totally different vibe.

It's no coincidence that the fans' favorite Korean players are all players who speak English fairly well (Se Ri, Jiyai, IK, etc.). They like them because they feel they know them.

.

Yes I agree with that, but lets cut the girl some slack. She has never been in this position before and was certainly overwhelmed at that point. We are not in her head. She's happy, scared, confussed etc.

[Blue]

Originally Posted by xman5

Yes I agree with that, but lets cut the girl some slack. She has never been in this position before and was certainly overwhelmed at that point. We are not in her head. She's happy, scared, confussed etc.

I am not blaming Sun Young Yoo at all. I am faulting the tour. The fault is not hers. There should have been a translator. And the tour should be providing more support for players to learn English. As far as I know all the players want to learn English. Some need more support than others. Who wouldn't want to learn the language of the country where they work most of the year?

It's not the player's fault for not learning English. They should be encouraged and supported more. That's where Bivens bungled in trying to institute the English policy. She made it all stick and no carrot.

[MarinePaul]

I don't see this as a fumble for Michael Whan. She wasn't comfortable doing the interview. How is that Whan's fault?

I agree with Xman. We don't know what she was feeling at that point in time. I would have liked to hear her interviewed, but she wasn't for whatever reason.

[golfnut]

Originally Posted by MarinePaul

I don't see this as a fumble for Michael Whan. She wasn't comfortable doing the interview. How is that Whan's fault?

I agree with Xman. We don't know what she was feeling at that point in time. I would have liked to hear her interviewed, but she wasn't for whatever reason.

I agree MP, this isn't a fumble for the commissioner, the language situation has been going on now for years. I don't think it is a fumble for the LPGA either, the most they would have given her is 15-30 seconds, and what would that accomplish? Would we find out something earth shattering? I highly doubt it. I found out all i needed or wanted to know about Yoo from her rock solid play and graceful demeanor. I don't think every single player has to share their life story or be a complete open book for the LPGA to be successful. Maybe, just maybe it's time people stopped complaining about the supposed lack of english language skills and focused on what matters most, their level of play.