As transgender golfer Hailey Davidson competes in this week’s LPGA Qualifying event, there’s growing concern among players on the LPGA and Epson Tour about the organization’s Gender Policy. The Independent Women’s Forum recently shared a letter with Outkick signed by more than 275 female golfers that was sent to the LPGA, USGA and IGF (International Golf Federation) last August calling for the organizations to repeal all policies and rules that allow biological males to compete in women’s events.
The letter, which was obtained by Golfweek, states that “it is essential for the integrity and fairness of women’s golf to have a clear and consistent participation policy in place based on a player’s immutable sex.”
Signed by current and former female professionals, the letter was sent just before the start of the first stage of LPGA Qualifying in California last August. Just three days prior, the tour sent out a memo of its own to LPGA and Epson Tour players regarding its Gender Policy.
Golfweek confirmed that in the memo, LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan stated that the tour planned to conclude a lengthy review of its current policy by year’s end and would implement any updates to the policy before the 2025 season.
The commissioner stated that the tour’s top priority must be to have a policy that provides for fair competition and considers “first and foremost” competitive advantage.
Meanwhile, as the tour continues its review, Davidson marches on.
On Tuesday in Venice, Florida, she opened what was formally known as Stage II of LPGA Qualifying with a 6-over 78. If Davidson completes all four rounds of this week’s event at Plantation Golf and Country Club, where there is no cut, she will earn Epson Tour status for the 2025 season. If Davidson finishes in the top 35 and ties among the field of 195, she’ll move on to Final Qualifying for a chance to earn an LPGA card for next season.
In 2010, the LPGA voted to eliminate its requirement that players be “female at birth” not long after a transgender woman filed a lawsuit against the tour.
Recently retired LPGA player Amy Olson believes the tour should return to requiring that athletes be female at birth.
“I would say I’m cautiously optimistic that the LPGA will do the right thing,” Olson told Golfweek. “That they will update their policy to reflect a fair competitive environment for women and also continued opportunity for women.
“I am optimistic. The LPGA has fought so hard for women golfers for over 70 years – our mission has always been consistent.”
More: Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson supports pro tour’s decision to poll players about gender policy
While the threat of another lawsuit undoubtedly plays a large role in decision-making, Olson has noted that the threat works both ways. Should a transgender woman earn an LPGA card and replace a biological female, the threat of a lawsuit against the tour could be just as strong.
“I so strongly believe that if the LPGA does the right thing,” said Olson, “they will have an immense amount of support.”
The letter sent by the Independent Women’s Forum lays out a number of differences between biological males and females that impact golf, noting that, “The male advantage in driving the ball is estimated around a 30 percent performance advantage; this is an enormous difference in the context of sport. Anatomical differences between males and females affect clubhead speed and regulating consistency at ball contact. Females have higher mean heart rates and encounter greater physiological demands while playing, especially at high altitudes. The anatomical differences are not removed with male testosterone suppression. There is no way to turn a male into a female. Being a female is not equated to being male with a reduction in strength.”
On Sept. 24, 2015 – a date that’s tattooed on her right forearm – Davidson began undergoing hormone treatments and in January 2021, underwent gender reassignment surgery, a six-hour procedure that’s required under the LPGA’s Gender Policy.
LPGA veteran Sarah Kemp knows Davidson personally and sees no reason for the tour to change its policy.
“I can’t imagine having to deal with the amount of hate she does on an everyday basis. It’s cruel and shameful,” Kemp told Golfweek in an email exchange earlier this year. “Hailey just wants to compete, and she works her tail off to get better. But even as hard as she works, she hasn’t been able to break through in women’s professional golf. I still can’t believe the worldwide uproar over her winning an NXXT event. … I know two transgender golfers – both of whom have had the procedure, including Hailey – and what that surgery did to their bodies physically was substantially more severe than hormone treatments alone. I believe this will be a major consideration in the research that’s just beginning on transgender athletes in elite sport.”
Earlier this year, Davidson came within one spot of qualifying for the 79th U.S. Women’s Open, the biggest championship in women’s golf.
Davidson had primarily competed on NXXT Golf until the Florida-based mini tour announced in March – on International Women’s Day – that competitors must be a biological female at birth to participate.
A three-time winner on the tour, Davidson ranked second on the mini tour’s season standings at the time of the ban. She had played nine times this season on the NXXT.
(Editor’s note: Although Golfweek obtained the letter from the Independent Women’s Forum, the list of signed names was not attached.)
