In Chevron hunt, emerging LPGA star opens up on cheating scandal

HOUSTON – The night before the final round of a major championship isn’t the ideal time to talk about a cheating scandal. But South Korea’s Ina Yoon agreed to it anyway. Currently solo fifth at the Chevron Championship , the LPGA's first major of the season, Yoon can’t escape what a quick Google search reveals: In 2022, she was suspended for three years from the Korea Golf Association (KGA) and KLPGA for playing the wrong ball and not telling anyone.

Yoon, 22, using the help of an interpreter, recalled what transpired at the DB Group Korea Women’s Open Golf Championship on June 16, 2022. During the first round, on which hole exactly she can’t remember, Yoon missed a tee shot right into the rough. Other players helped her to find it.

Yoon said she didn’t realize that the ball wasn't hers until she got to the next tee. “I wasn’t sure what to do because this had never happened to me, so I was a bit frazzled,” said Yoon, who was 19 years old at the time. “My caddie said to hit it.

I shouldn’t have listened, but I did. I should have reported it right away, but I was really nervous and scared about that. I missed the cut, and I thought it would be OK.