A Korean Tour golf star was so pissed when he heard a fan snap a cell phone pic during his backswing, he flipped the guy off ... and now the golfer just got hit with a 3-YEAR BAN!!!
Kim Bi-o -- an ex-PGA Tour golfer and the current money leader on the Korean Tour -- snapped on a fan on the 16th hole at the DGB Financial Group Volvik Daegu Gyeongbuk Open on Sunday when he heard the phone make a shutter sound effect during his swing.
Everyone knows that's a big no-no -- golfers HATE noise when they're on the tee box.
So, after 29-year-old Kim heard the camera click ... he wheeled around and shot the fan the bird right in front of EVERYBODY!!!
Kim -- who still went on to win the tournament -- apologized for the gesture afterward ... but clearly, officials felt that wasn't enough.
The Korea Professional Golfers' Association announced Tuesday they were hitting Kim with a THREE-YEAR SUSPENSION for the incident, saying, "Kim Bi-o damaged the dignity of a golfer with etiquette violation and inappropriate behaviour."
The KPGA also announced it was fining Kim the equivalent of $8,350.
The golfer didn't take the news lightly ... he got down on his knees in front of Korean media on Tuesday and apologized for his actions once again.
Gotta be one of the wildest stories of the year: The Korean Tour money leader has been suspended for three years … for flipping off the crowd!https://t.co/S6eUpJzXkZ pic.twitter.com/htPXILKr6z
— Ryan Lavner (@RyanLavnerGC) October 1, 2019
Unclear where Kim -- who played on the PGA Tour back in 2011 -- will golf now ... the KPGA says he won't even be allowed to finish out the year there.