Seoul (AFP)
Costly gesture: South Korean golfer has been suspended for three years for a finger of honor addressed to the public in response to a noise caused by a phone, said Tuesday the Korean Association of Professional Golfers (KPGA ).
Sunday, 16th hole of the Daegu Gyeongbuk Open: Kim Bi-o, leading the tournament, is in full concentration when he hears, in the crowd, the sound of the camera of a smartphone. He turns towards the noise, raises his tense middle finger and slams his club on the ground.
Unanimously, the KPGA decided to suspend three years of the Korean circuit and to punish him with a fine of 10 million won (about 7.600 euros).
"Kim Bi-o has sullied the dignity of a golfer by violating the rules of etiquette with inappropriate behavior," he wrote in a statement from the KPGA.
The 29-year-old has finally won the tournament, but will especially regret losing his nerves. On Tuesday, he knelt in front of the television cameras, crying apologetically after being heard by the KPGA for that gesture. Yet leader of the Korean circuit, Kim will not be able to finish the season.
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