Hailey Davidson: LPGA updates policy on transgender women golfers
Transgender women who have gone through male puberty will not be able to compete on the leading women’s golf tour from next year.
The latest gender policy rules will also apply to USGA events, including the U.S. Women’s Open, and will prevent Scottish-born American Haley Davidson from seeking membership on the LPGA Tour.
The 31-year-old, who switched careers after playing men’s college golf in the United States, finished 95th in the second stage of the LPGA Q School in October but failed to qualify for the leading women’s tour.
Davidson’s involvement sparked protests, with 275 female players signing a letter calling for changes to the policy that allows people recorded as male at birth to compete in the women’s competition.
Previously, the LPGA allowed players to compete after puberty if they underwent gender-affirming surgery and met hormone treatment requirements.
But those rules have now changed.
“The LPGA has updated its gender policy for tournament eligibility, effective beginning with the 2025 season,” the LPGA said in a statement.
“The policy was informed by a working group of leading experts in the fields of medicine, science, exercise physiology, golf performance and gender policy law, and was developed with input from a wide range of stakeholders, with priority given to women’s professional championships and elite amateur competitions. Competitive integrity.
“The task force suggests that the effects of male puberty confer a competitive advantage on golf performance compared to players who do not undergo male puberty.”
The new policy applies to the LPGA Tour, the feeder Epson Tour event for which Davidson was originally eligible, as well as the Ladies European Tour and all other elite LPGA events.
Athletes who were recorded as male at birth and have gone through male puberty “are not eligible to participate in the above-mentioned events,” the statement added.
The R&A, which administers the rules of golf outside the United States and Mexico, is expected to adopt the same policy for its women’s championships, including the AIG Women’s Open, from January 1 next year.
Davidson played for the University of Delaware-Wilmington men’s team before transferring to Virginia’s Christopher Newport men’s team.
Denmark’s Mianne Bagger became the first transgender golfer to compete in a professional event when she competed in the 2004 Australian Women’s Open.
But the 57-year-old has since become a critic of lax rules for transgender people participating in women’s sports.
“Our policies reflect a broad, science-based and inclusive approach,” outgoing LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said in announcing the 2025 rule changes.
“This policy represents our ongoing commitment to ensuring that all people feel welcome within our organization, while safeguarding the fairness and competitive integrity of our elite events.”
Responding to the change on Instagram, Davidson said: “Can’t say I didn’t see this coming.
“Banned from the Epson and LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to remain ‘neutral’ thanks to nothing. This all happened because of your silence.”
In updating its policy, the LPGA follows other governing bodies in sports such as swimming and track and field in banning transgender women who have gone through male puberty from competing at elite levels for women.
