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The LPGA Tour is deciding whether to ban male-born golfers, which could see Hailey Davidson lose the playing status the Scot took to the Q-School this week.
Davidson missed the historic quest to become the first transgender golfer to win a card on the premier women’s tour by falling short by six strokes to advance to the final stage, but he still earned playing rights on the Epson Tour , the main feeder league.
However, rules could be introduced during the tight season that would prohibit the 31-year-old from competing in the LPGA pyramid or re-entering the Q-School and thus – legal recourse aside – putting end to a controversy which spoiled women’s football.
Davidson came within one shot of qualifying for the US Women’s Open in June, sparking a wave of opposition in the locker room. A letter signed by 275 professionals was recently sent to major golf organizations, urging the powers that be to ban players born male from participating in women’s competitions.
“Gender differences affect our sport”
“It is essential for the integrity and fairness of women’s golf to have a clear and consistent participation policy based on the unchanging gender of players,” said the letter written by the Independent Women’s Forum. “There are gender differences – female and male – that specifically affect our sport of golf. »
The LPGA allows golfers who have undergone gender affirmation surgery after puberty to compete if they also meet requirements for hormone therapy. Mollie Marcoux, the Tour commissioner, responded to the petition by revealing that a thorough review is underway and will be completed by the end of the year, and that any changes will be implemented before next season.
The LPGA’s rules originally required its players to be “female at birth,” but in 2010, after another transgender golfer filed a lawsuit, that requirement was dropped. It will be interesting to see Davidson’s reaction if the policy is reversed.
Before his transition, the Ayrshire-born golfer earned a scholarship to Wilmington University’s men’s team and has remained in the United States ever since, reportedly starting hormone treatments in 2015 ahead of affirmation surgery of gender in 2021.
After shooting a final round 72 in Venice, Florida, Davidson declined to comment.
