LPGA, USGA Change Policies Related to Transgender Golfers
Instagram story on Wednesday, Davidson responded to the policy update by saying, "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," Davidson said.Advancing to the second stage of Q-School would have granted Davidson limited status on the Epson Tour, the official developmental circuit for the LPGA.The LPGA and USGA stated that their updated policies aim to balance inclusivity for diverse gender identities and expressions with a commitment to maintaining fairness in competition.The LPGA, citing guidance from a panel of experts, stated that the physiological effects of male puberty confer competitive advantages in golf over players who have not experienced it."Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach," 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."Mike Whan, former LPGA commissioner and current CEO of the USGA, noted that the organization developed its updated policy independently but later found it aligned with regulations adopted in sports like swimming, track and field, and others."It starts with competitive fairness as the North star," Whan said during an interview. "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.
