The LPGA on Friday said it was backing off a requirement that its players prove a proficiency in English.

The Ladies Professional Golf Association had announced that next year players would have to show they could speak English or face suspension. The decision was apparently the result of the success a growing number of South Korean players were having on the tour.

The requirement was roundly criticized and LPGA Commission Carolyn Bivens issued a statement Friday saying the golf tour was revising its mandate. The LPGA is to announce a new program, which wouldn't include the threat of suspension, by the end of the year.

After hearing the concerns, we believe there are other ways to achieve our shared objective of supporting and enhancing the business opportunities for every tour player, said Bivens. In that spirit, we will continue communicating with our diverse tour players to develop a better alternative.

The LPGA has 121 non-U.S. players on its tour and, while 26 foreign countries are represented in the LPGA, about one-third of the foreign players are from South Korea.

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