I am posting my first sports link today. Some of the comments made in the article illustrate how those of us in the U.S. are able to embrace the benefits of increasingly fewer barriers between other countries, but incapable of understanding the importance of being able to communicate in other languages. Of course, there are those who don't even see the benefits, like the former LPGA champion who said "the Asians were 'killing' the tour."

Despite the steady and impressive growth of Koreans on tour, the LPGA has only two staffers of Asian descent. Only one -- Shim -- knows Korean.

And even though tournaments such as the MasterCard Classic in Mexico had two translators -- one who spoke English and one who spoke Japanese -- no tournament outside Korea offers Korean translators. That includes several tournaments sponsored by Korean corporations.

That creates obstacles not only with media, but potentially could also affect on-course conversations with rules officials during tournament play.

Shim estimates that of 32 Koreans on tour, only 10 speak "functional" English.

Tags: Korean | golfer | translator