Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson fails to advance at LPGA Qualifying but earns Epson Tour status for 2025

Hailey Davidson came up short successful her quest to go nan first transgender golfer to gain an LPGA card. Davidson closed pinch an even-par 72 astatine nan 2nd shape of LPGA Qualifying astatine Plantation Golf and Country Club successful Venice, Florida, connected Friday.

A full of 43 players precocious to December’s Final Qualifying. Davidson’s four-round full of 2-over 290 put her six shots backmost of nan trim line.

Davidson does, however, time off pinch constricted Epson Tour position for nan 2025 season. She becomes nan 2nd transgender golfer to gain position connected nan developmental circuit. Bobbi Lancaster earned position successful 2013 done Stage I of LPGA Q-School but ne'er really competed successful an charismatic event.

Players who vanished successful nan apical 80 but did not beforehand to Final Qualifying will beryllium placed into Category I connected nan Epson Tour Priority List for 2025. Remaining players who completed 72 holes will beryllium placed into Category K, successful bid of their qualifying finish. For context, 217 players were up of Category K connected nan 2024 Epson Tour Priority List astatine nan commencement of nan year.

Davidson declined to return questions connected Friday erstwhile approached by an LPGA charismatic aft her round.

Letter called for repeal of policies

Earlier this week, nan Independent Women’s Forum shared a missive pinch Outkick signed by much than 275 female golfers that was sent to nan LPGA, USGA and IGF (International Golf Federation) past August calling for nan organizations to repeal each policies and rules that let biologic males to compete successful women’s events.

The missive states that “it is basal for nan integrity and fairness of women’s play to person a clear and accordant information argumentation successful spot based connected a player’s immutable sex.”

The LPGA sent a memo of its ain to players successful August stating that nan circuit planned to reason a lengthy reappraisal of its existent Gender Policy by year’s extremity and would instrumentality immoderate updates to nan argumentation earlier nan 2025 season.

In 2010, nan LPGA voted to destruct its request that players beryllium “female astatine birth” not agelong aft a transgender female revenge a suit against nan tour.

Earlier this year, Davidson came wrong 1 spot of qualifying for nan 79th U.S. Women’s Open, nan biggest title successful women’s golf. She had chiefly competed connected NXXT Golf until nan Florida-based mini circuit announced successful March that competitors must beryllium a biologic female astatine commencement to participate.

A three-time victor connected nan tour, Davidson classed 2nd connected nan mini tour’s play standings astatine nan clip of nan ban. She had played 9 times this play connected nan NXXT.