A transgender golfer has managed to secure her place on a prestigious tour specifically designed to provide “growth opportunities” for female players.
Hailey Davidson, 30, who was born in Scotland but now lives in Florida, has long strived to become the first transgender woman to receive a Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour card – and is one step closer to her goal came.
Davidson won the NXXT Women's Classic at the Mission Inn Resort and Club near Orlando, Florida.
The win gives Davidson access to the Epson Tour, which grants exemptions to its top five players.
Hailey Davidson, 30, won the NXXT Women's Classic at the Mission Inn Resort and Club near Orlando, Florida. This gives her access to the Epson Tour, where exemptions are granted to the top five players
The Epson Tour is the qualifying tour for the LPGA, the tour card Davidson was aiming for. The LPGA Tour eliminated the requirement that golfers be “female at birth” in 2010
The tour is the qualifying tour for the LPGA, whose tour card Davidson was aiming for.
The LPGA Tour eliminated the requirement that golfers be “female at birth” in 2010.
However, Davidson's mere presence as a trans woman removes one of these flaws from a cisgender woman.
The irony of Davidson's win is that the exemptions were introduced specifically to allow female golfers to compete on the Epson Tour and provide “unprecedented professional development opportunities for female golfers.”
Davidson praised her victory
“Most of all, I would like to thank everyone who has supported me, from my fellow contestants to all of you who I may not have met yet.” “Thank you all for helping me overcome any hate and made me feel loved.”
Davidson told Golf Week that the “trans issue” was also a concern for her.
“I guess that's what frustrates me the most.” When I play badly, people feel justified – “Well, she played badly and wasn't good enough.” – When I do something good If I do, it's not because I've put my whole life into this, but because I'm transsexual.
“I want to make sure everything I do is so positive that people can’t say anything negative,” she said. “I don’t stand on the first tee and say, ‘Oh, I’m Hailey. I'm the trans girl. 'If it shows up, it comes.'
Davidson's presence as a trans woman alone deprives a cisgender woman of one of the spots on the tour
Hailey Davidson, 30, appears to be on track to become the first transgender woman to receive an LPGA Tour card, now that she has qualified for the Epson Tour
Tennis star Andy Murray's mother, Judy Murray, said Davidson's position was completely unfair to other biological women
In August 2022, Wimbledon tennis champion Andy Murray's mother, Judy Murray, said that Davidson's position was completely unfair to other biological women.
“Not fair at all.” Protecting women’s sports. Listen to the facts, the scientists and the doctors. “This is wrong,” she tweeted.
Murray was one of several social media users who commented that Davidson could well earn her LPGA Tour card.
Davidson has dismissed criticism of her participation in women's sports as “transphobia”.
Although the best male golfers can typically hit the ball further than their female counterparts, Davidson claims that most of the criticism surrounding her participation in the women's round is more transphobic in nature than a genuine dialogue about the sport.
Davidson said she is now hitting the ball 15 mph slower after her transition.
“I saw that it's not about protecting women's sports or giving me an advantage, it's just about not liking trans people,” Davidson said during an interview on the Like It Is podcast.
“It's very sad that it comes down to this.” “That's what I've learned in the last few months.”
“I'm determined to get a hole-in-one on camera one day!” Hailey Davidson, 29, wrote on Instagram as she posted a video of herself practicing on the links
The NXXT, Epson Tour and LPGA have strict policies that allow trans women to compete alongside women born female.
“The LPGA has a comprehensive gender policy that allows transgender athletes, including those who have transitioned from male to female, to compete in its events. This policy requires transgender athletes to provide a statement of gender identity, proof of gender reassignment surgery and proof of at least one year of hormone therapy that maintains testosterone levels within a certain range.
“It also contains provisions regarding confidentiality and acknowledgment of gender verification decisions made by other golf tours or sports authorities,” NXXT tour director Bennett Noe said in a statement.
“This alignment across NXXT, LPGA, Epson Tour and USGA ensures a unified approach to transgender athletes and values fair competition and integrity in the sport.”
Davidson last competed as a male golfer in 2015, after which she began hormone therapy. She has competed on the East Coast Women's Pro Golf Tour
Davidson last competed as a male golfer in 2015. She then started hormone therapy and underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2021.
“I know I have what it takes to work with professional golfers on the LPGA/PGA/Champions Tour over the last few years and stay very competitive with all of them,” Davidson said in 2021 while trying to raise funds for the Collect qualification school.
“Although I know I have the talent and mental strength to make a career out of playing, it is the initial tournament and training costs that are really holding me back.”
While she failed to qualify this year, she remained competitive in other tournaments, finishing one match just three shots behind 2010 US Women's Open champion Paula Creamer.
Should Davidson finally make it to the LPGA, she would be the second transgender woman to reach the first level of the LPGA Q-School.
In 2013, Bobbi Lancaster, a 63-year-old doctor from Arizona, was granted Symetra Tour status in 2013 but chose to spend her time traveling the country as a human rights activist, according to Golf Week.
Davidson said that after her transition, she now hits the ball 15 mph slower, adding that she doesn't have much of an advantage over other female golfers
Davidson claims that most of the criticism surrounding her participation in the women's competition is transphobic in nature rather than a genuine dialogue about the sport
There was a backlash on social media to Davidson's success.
“If it's not one person who breaks through, it's someone else.” This time a Hailey Davidson. It's really time for @LPGA to rethink your “rules” and align them with those of other major sports associations. Women deserve a fair playing field. “Male bodies remain male bodies with built-in advantages,” wrote Dorothy van Koolwijk.
“This idea that trans women have to be unfair because they have advantages is just not true,” said Joanna Harper. @golfweek @GolfweekNichols, please speak to experienced scholars on this issue who ARE NOT trans activists,” wrote Jennifer Gingrich, who describes herself as a radical feminist.
“Why does #Golf have a separate category called 'Women' when everyone can identify with it?” Instantly it becomes a fake “Lesser Men” extension of the #PGA. How could @LPGA #LPGA undermine itself in this most ridiculous way? Give up the league's legitimacy?' wrote Linda Blade.
“I am a muscle expert. It's absolutely unfair. When you add stronger tendons, ligaments and bones. Longer limbs, broader shoulders, narrow hips. “All real benefits,” argued another Twitter user.
“There was a time in global sports when certain born female athletes were bullied into proving their femininity (sic) through hormone testing and all that nonsense. Some of them had their medals taken away. Nowadays they allow born men to compete openly and snatch victories from women. “Insanity,” added Mohammed Riyaz.
A number of social media users were unhappy that Davidson could well earn her PGA Tour card
Davidson's success comes amid a culture war in America over allowing transgender athletes to compete in women's sports.
Although professional organizations such as the LPGA and PGA established their own rules and regulations many years ago, more recently there has been debate across the country regarding athletes competing in high school and college.
The issue was a focus in 2022 for UPenn swimmer Lia Thomas, who began competing in women's college swimming a year and a half after her transition.
Thomas broke several women's records, much to the dismay of some of her teammates, and the NCAA and US Swimming federations were criticized for allowing Thomas to compete.
The professional competitive swimming association FINA has since effectively barred trans women from participating in the sport on the grounds that they must have begun transitioning before puberty began, something that is illegal or nearly impossible in most of the United States.
The issue took center stage in 2022 when UPenn swimmer Lia Thomas (pictured) began competing and setting records in women's college swimming 18 months after transferring
Eighteen states have now banned transgender students from participating in girls' sports.
A notable example is Ohio, which passed a law requiring students accused of being transgender to provide a doctor's note detailing their sexual anatomy, testosterone levels and genetic makeup.
In New Jersey, Republican lawmakers proposed the Fairness in Women's Sports Act, which would require female athletes to check the condition of their genitals in order to compete.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Michael Testa, compared genital checks to random drug tests administered to college athletes and said he doesn't expect problems with angry parents accusing girls of being transgender.