The USGA and LPGA have announced major changes to their gender participation rules ahead of the new season following a lengthy review.
Previously, transgender females were allowed to compete in USGA and LPGA-sanctioned events providing they had undergone the necessary gender reassignment.
However, the policy has come under scrutiny from players over the past year, in particular when transgender golfer Hailey Davidson participated in the penultimate stage of the LPGA’s Q-School in October.
Over 275 current and former players signed a letter raising concerns over Davidson’s participation and golf’s leading organisations have now responded with a sweeping set of changes.
Under new guidelines, that will go into effect ahead of the 2025 season, players must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in events.
Announcing the decision, both the USGA and LPGA said the policy was enacted to maintain competitive integrity in their events and that the new rules would also apply to Ladies European Tour events as well as all developmental tours and qualifying events.
‘Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,’ outgoing LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said.
‘The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.’
Meanwhile, Mike Whan, former LPGA commissioner and current USGA CEO told the Associated Press: ‘We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff.
‘We just simply said, “Where would somebody — at least medically today — where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?” And we needed to draw a line.
‘We needed to be able to walk into any women’s event and say with confidence that nobody here has a competitive advantage based on their gender. And this policy delivers that. Will that change in the years to come as medicine changes? Probably, but I think today this stacks up.’
For the aforementioned Davidson, who transitioned in her twenties, the changes mean she will no longer be able to compete on the Epson Tour having earned partial playing rights just months ago.
Reacting to the news on Instagram, Davidson, originally from Scotland, said: ‘Can’t say I didn’t see this coming. Banned from the Epson and the LPGA.
‘All the silence and people wanting to stay “neutral” thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.’
Earlier in the week, former LPGA professional Amy Olson accused Davidson and other transgender female golfers of ‘hijacking’ women’s golf.
‘Women started the LPGA tour, a group called the 13 founders, she said. ‘They loaded everything up in their vehicles and went from golf course to golf course, gave clinics, did everything that they could to get public interest and built this tour from the ground up.
‘Women did that and they did it for women. And so it’s not right to have what they’ve worked for hijacked by men who feel that they’re women but have a distinct competitive advantage over us. That’s just not fair.
‘And that’s why myself and 275 other women are saying ‘no,’ we need to protect the opportunities that our 13 founders fought for.’
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