Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson competed in the qualifying event for the US Women’s Open
Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson has been compared to a ‘castrated male dog’ by a rival after the Scot sealed an alternate spot for the US Women’s Open. The 30-year-old competed in this month’s 36-hole qualifying event at Bradenton Country Club, and finished in a three-way tie for third place, meaning she narrowly missed out on an automatic spot.
But she birdied the opening playoff hole with two-time LPGA Tour winner Jasmine Suwannapura and
Louise Olsson Campbell to secure the top alternate place.
That means that Davidson will be in the field at the Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania, with the tournament running from May 30 to June 2, if just one player drops out.
Davidson reacted to her performance on social media, writing on Instagram: “So you’re telling me there’s a chance!” She also shared a photo of the alternate player regulations officially issued by the USGA, and clarified “I DO in fact have legal documentation from the USGA that allowed me to play in the first place so zero rules were broken as always.
However, her participation in Bradenton was criticised by a fellow competitor in the 55-strong field. The player opted to remain anonymous when discussing with OutKick’s Mark Harris if she thought it was fair for trans golfers to play in women’s events.
“It is not fair,” she argued, before proceeding to make a savage comparison. “There’s not any other way to explain it other than if you neuter a male dog, it’s still a male dog. We never call them a female dog.”
world Athletics president Lord Coe has ruled transgender athletes can’t compete in female events. (Image: Getty
And she also suggested that the authorities now needed to sanction separate tournaments for those who have undergone the relevant gender-affirming surgery. “I believe if transgender golf is getting more attention, aka popular, then let’s do a trans open for them,” she added.
The player also cited a moment during the qualifying event where Davidson holed out from 40 feet off the green and celebrated by shouting in what was described as a ‘male tone’, adding: “Everyone was in shock and not a single person clapped.”
The LPGA’s gender policy has also been adopted by the Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour, LET Access Series and LPGA Professionals competitions, permits trans women to compete in female events. The requirement for golfers to be ‘female at birth’ to compete with fellow women was removed in 2010.
Competitors though have to identify as female and provide proof of gender reassignment surgery, as well as evidence of undergoing a minimum one-year process of hormonal therapy. Testosterone levels also have to be within a specific range.
The policy is contrasted by other sports, with World Athletics banning transgender women from competing in the female category at international events. The governing body’s president, Lord Coe, confirmed earlier this year that no transgender athlete who had gone through male puberty would be permitted to compete in female world ranking competitions after March 31 of this year.
