LPGA Tour makes shock change to rules on trans golfers, banning male-born players from women’s events
4 December 2024, 20:38
The LPGA has announced new gender policies that state players must have been assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before puberty.
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The LPGA and USGA have announced new gender policies stating that players must have been assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through puberty in order to be eligible for their competitions.
The LPGA said the new rules, which will come into force next year, were the result of more than a year of study involving medicine, science, sport physiology and gender policy law.
In a statement, the LPGA said: "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."
Scottish transgender golfer Hailey Davidson has hit out at the decision, which came after she came close to winning a card on the LPGA Tour and qualifying for the US Women’s Open.
The 32-year-old, who played men's college golf in the United States before transitioning, missed qualification for the leading women's tour by one shot.
"Can’t say I didn’t see this coming. Banned from the Epson and LPGA," Davidson wrote in post to Instagram Stories.
She continued: "All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.
"And somehow people are surprised the suicide rate for transgender people is around 50%. Situations just like this are part of the reason."
Davidson's participation was followed by protests, with 275 female players signing a letter that asked for changes to policies which allowed people that were assigned as male at birth to compete in women's events.
She began hormone treatments in her early 20s and underwent gender-affirming surgery in 2021.Before the rule change, the LPGA allowed players that had undergone gender-affirming surgery post-puberty and met hormone therapy requirements to participate.
LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said: "Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach.“The policy represents our continued commitment to ensure that all feel welcome within our organisation, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity and elite competitions."
USGA chief executive Mike Whan said: "Our updated policy reflects a thoughtful and thorough process during which the USGA consulted with leading medical professionals from around the world."
