KGA Suspension Reduced from 3 Years to 1 Year 6 Months
Return to 2024 June Korean Women's Open
Possibility of Participating in All KLPGA Tournaments if 'Pardon' Granted
Power hitter Yoon Ina (photo) will return to the field by June next year at the latest.
The Korea Golf Association (KGA) Fairness Committee announced on the 26th, "We have decided to reduce Yoon Ina's three-year competition ban to one year and six months." Yoon Ina, who caused controversy last year at the Korea Women's Open by continuing to play after mistakenly thinking the ball was hers and later confessing, now has the opportunity to compete again in 2024. Her competition ban will end on February 18 next year. She will be able to participate in the Korea Women's Open hosted by the KGA in June next year.
The KGA Fairness Committee explained the reason for the reduction, stating, "Yoon Ina complied with the association's disciplinary decision, showed sincere remorse and repentance by completing over 50 hours of community service, and donated all prize money earned from 13 tournaments on the U.S. minor league golf tour after the disciplinary action." They added, "Considering over 5,000 petitions appealing for relief and public opinion that the three-year suspension by the association equates to a near-severe penalty of a three-year ban from all domestic professional tours, the competition ban was reduced and an additional 50 hours of community service was imposed."
However, Yoon Ina received the same three-year competition ban from the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA), so she cannot participate in other domestic tournaments except the Korea Women's Open. The KLPGA is also likely to reduce the suspension period following the KGA's disciplinary reduction, so Yoon Ina is expected to reappear in domestic tournaments next year.
Yoon Ina is a player equipped with a long drive of up to 300 yards, coming from her tall height of 170 cm. After dominating the amateur stage, she joined the Dream (2nd tier) Tour late in July 2021 but secured a regular tour card by finishing first in prize money. In July last year, she achieved a 'wire-to-wire' victory at the Ever Collagen Queens Crown. She established herself as the next-generation star leading Korean women's golf and attracted large galleries with her powerful play.
However, Yoon Ina committed a rules violation on the 15th hole of the first round at last year's Korea Women's Open. She continued playing despite knowing the ball in the rough was not hers. About a month after the rules violation, in July, she voluntarily reported the wrong ball play to the KGA and stopped participating in tournaments. Yoon Ina received a severe penalty of a three-year competition ban from both the KGA and KLPGA and took time to reflect.
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