Sponsor State Farm asks LPGA to reconsider its "English proficiency" rule
The criticism of the LPGA is mounting. A day after World No. 1 player Lorena Ochoa (a native of Mexico whose first language is Spanish) called the LPGA’s new “English proficiency” rule a bit “drastic,” one of the LPGA’s own sponsors, State Farm, has formally asked the LPGA to reconsider the entire rule itself. (More)
This is now an unmitigated business disaster for the LPGA. I think there’s no choice but for the LPGA to revoke the rule. Lorena Ochoa’s criticism should have sent alarm signals all the way back to Carol Bivens, LPGA commisioner. But now, when a big sponsor like State Farm has called the rule into question, the LPGA needs to step up and admit that it was wrong. The new rule won’t help the LPGA’s business — indeed, if sponsors like State Farm are uncomforable with the rule, the rule will hurt the LPGA and the image it wants to project.
