Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson has earned Epson Tour status for 2025 after finishing T95 in the second stage of the LPGA Q-Series following a final round of 72 at Florida’s Plantation Golf and Country Club.
However, her joy may be short-lived after it was reported that the LGPA Tour is reviewing whether to ban male-born golfers from competing in events in its pyramid.
Per The Telegraph’s golf correspondent James Corrigan, LPGA Tour Mollie Marcoux has confirmed a review is ongoing with the outcome expected by the end of the year and any changes coming into force before next season.
That follows a letter sent to the LPGA, USGA and IGF in August and signed by 275 professionals urging a ban on male-born golfers from women’s competitions.
The 31-year-old entered Q-Series hoping to become the first transgender golfer to earn an LPGA Tour card. To do so, she would have needed to have reached December’s final qualifying stage, which will be held at Magnolia Grove Golf Club in Alabama.
She had given herself a chance entering Friday’s final round despite a six-over 78 to begin her challenge. She recovered well with rounds of 69 and 71 before her even-par final round saw her fall six short of the cut-off, with the top 35 and ties advancing.
While she missed out on that goal, as things stand, she is eligible for the developmental tour next year, albeit with limited status, pending the outcome of the review.
The news bears similarities with a decision made by NXXT Golf earlier in the year, where Davidson had been competing.
She won her first all-women's event in January at the NXXT Women’s Classic in Florida, but the achievement prompted the mini-tour to survey members on its gender policy and ask Davidson to "undergo additional testosterone testing". In March, it updated its gender guidance to require all competitors to be female at birth, thus excluding the Scot.
That inspired an emotional response from Davidson on Instagram, who called the decision a "slap in the face to all female athletes."
She added: “Effective immediately, I have been removed (banned) from the next 3 NXXT tournaments that I had already signed up for and been approved to play.”
For now, Davidson faces a waiting game to see if she will be able to take her place on the Epson Tour. Following her final round in Florida, she refused to comment.
Players who progressed to the final stage of Q-Series included Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup stars Mimi Rhodes and Sara Byrne, who both turned professional in September.
Rhodes finished T1 with Adela Cernousek at the event, with Byrne finishing T6.
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