Golfer Hailey Davidson has slammed a new policy banning many
transgender women from competing in elite tournaments.
Scottish-born American Davidson, who transitioned after playing men's college
golf in the United States, competed in the LPGA's (Ladies Professional Golf Association) qualifying series and earned a partial spot on the 2025 Epson Tour. She was also just one stroke away from qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open.
However, new rules on gender policy announced on Wednesday by the LPGA will prevent Davidson from seeking membership in the LPGA Tour starting next year. The LPGA previously allowed players to compete if they had undergone gender-affirming surgery after puberty and met hormone therapy requirements. But transgender women who have gone through male puberty will now not be allowed to compete on leading women's golf tours.
The 31-year-old participated at the second stage of LPGA Q School in October, where she finished 95th. Her involvement sparked protests from 275 female players, who signed a letter asking for changes in policies to stop people recorded as male at birth from competing in women’s events.
In light of the updated rules, a furious Davidson wrote on
Instagram: “Can’t say I didn’t see this coming. Banned from the Epson and LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.
“What a great birthday present for 2024. Having the greatest achievement I’ve earned in my life taken from me. Gets outdriven by every player in every group I played in at Stage 2 of Q School yet I’m somehow the one with an advantage and gets banned.”
Davidson had played on the men's team at Wilmington University in Delaware before transferring to the men's team at Christopher Newport in Virginia. She reportedly began hormone treatments in 2015 and had gender-affirming surgery in 2021.
Many women's golf players had signed a letter to try and prevent transgender players like Hailey Davidson from competing (
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(Image: Getty Images))
The new policy applies to players looking to compete at the LPGA Tour, its feeder Epson Tour - where Davidson would have been eligible to play - plus the Ladies European Tour and all other elite LPGA events. The USGA's (United States Golf Association) updated Competitive Fairness Gender Policy, meanwhile, applies to the U.S. Women's Open, the U.S. Senior Women's Open and any other USGA championship, including qualifiers.
"The LPGA has updated its gender policy for competition eligibility, effective starting with the 2025 season," the LPGA said in a statement.
"The policy - informed by a working group of top experts in medicine, science, sport physiology, golf performance and gender policy law - was developed with input from a broad array of stakeholders and prioritises the competitive integrity of women's professional tournaments and elite amateur competitions.
"This working group has advised that the effects of male puberty confer competitive advantages in golf performance compared to players who have not undergone male puberty." The statement added that players recorded as male at birth and who have gone through male puberty "are not eligible to compete in the aforementioned events".
The R&A, which governs golf's rules outside of the United States and Mexico, is expected to implement the same policy from January 1 of next year for its women's championships. That includes the AIG Women's Open.
In updating its policy to ban transgender women who have gone through male puberty, the LPGA follows the governing bodies of other sports, including swimming and athletics.
