The Korean Tour has suspended current money leader Bio Kim for three years after he made an obscene gesture to fans during the final round of a tournament this past weekend.
Holding a one-shot lead on the 16th hole of the DGB Financial Group Volvik Daegu Gyeongbuk Open in Gumi, South Korea, Kim reacted angrily after a cellphone camera went off during his downswing. His drive ended up going about 100 yards, according to the Korea Herald.
After the poor shot, Kim, 29, turned to the crowd, flipped off fans and slammed his driver into the ground. The incident was captured on live TV in Korea.
On Monday, the Korean Professional Golfers' Association, which operates the Korean Tour, voted unanimously to suspend Kim for the next three years. It also fined him about $8,350 in U.S. currency.
In a statement, the Korean Tour said: "Kim Bi-o damaged the dignity of a golfer with etiquette violation and inappropriate behavior."
Kim won this past weekend's tournament to become the first two-time winner on the Korean Tour this season. He was the Korean Tour's Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in 2010, when he won scoring and money titles.
Kim made 19 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour with two top-25s and 11 missed cuts in 2018. After losing his PGA Tour card in 2011, he made 39 combined starts in 2012 and '13 and earned $117,542 on the KFT.
It was not immediately clear whether Kim would be eligible to play other tours around the world, including the PGA Tour-sanctioned circuits in China, Canada and Latin America, while serving his three-year Korea PGA suspension.
The PGA Tour said he would not be eligible pending its own review to determine whether to restrict Kim's access to its tournaments.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
