Yuna's Private Disciplinary Committee Today... What Punishment Will She Receive?

Korean Golf Association's Yoon Ina to Hold Sports Fairness Committee on 'Ogu Incident'
Korean Tour Player Receives 5-Year Suspension and 50 Million KRW Fine
Follow-Up Measures Planned After KLPGA Tour Disciplinary Committee

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] The fate of Yoon Ina (19, photo), who was at the center of the ‘Ogu Play controversy,’ will be decided on the 19th. The Korea Golf Association (KGA) will hold a closed session of the Sports Fairness Committee on this day to discuss disciplinary action against Yoon Ina for violating golf rules during the DB Group 36th Korea Women's Open tournament in June. The discussion concerns the violation that Yoon Ina reported after the fact. Yoon Ina is also expected to attend the Sports Fairness Committee to provide her explanation.

During the first round of the Korea Women's Open at the 15th hole, Yoon Ina’s tee shot veered to the right, and she proceeded with the game believing she had found her ball in the rough. Later, she realized it was not her ball but continued to play without taking any action. About a month after the tournament ended, on the 15th of last month, she voluntarily reported the Ogu Play to the Korea Golf Association and issued an apology on the 25th of the same month, temporarily suspending her participation in tournaments.

Although Yoon Ina was ‘cut off’ in the Korea Women's Open, she was disqualified after voluntarily reporting the rule violation. Yoon Ina had drawn attention as a ‘next-generation star’ by winning the KLPGA Tour Ever Collagen Queens Crown on the 17th of last month, but she suspended participation in the remaining tournaments this year due to this controversy. The KLPGA Tour also plans to take follow-up measures depending on the disciplinary results from the Korea Golf Association.

The Sports Fairness Committee consists of seven experts from various fields, including the legal and golf sectors. Due to scheduling difficulties, the plan is to conclude the matter in a single meeting if possible. Yoon Ina is expected to be disciplined under the category of ‘causing social controversy and damaging the dignity of golf people.’

The disciplinary levels range from a warning, suspension of participation and qualifications for less than one year, suspension for more than one year, to expulsion. Since Yoon Ina’s case involved hiding the rule violation for more than a month, it is unlikely she will avoid severe punishment. This is because golf regards manners and etiquette as rules, and she committed an unsportsmanlike act.

In fact, recent Ogu Play penalties in the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Korean Tour were severe. In the first round of the Asiad CC Busan Open in June, a recommended player’s intentional Ogu Play was caught by the tournament referee. Initially, the player denied ‘Alkkagi’ (a Korean term for a type of ball manipulation), but admitted the mistake when the referee found the original ball. The KPGA imposed a heavy penalty of a five-year suspension and a fine of 50 million won through the disciplinary committee.