Australian trans golfer banned from professional circuit after bombshell rule change

Aussie trans golfer Breanna Gill is set to be kicked off the WPGA Tour of Australasia after a recent change in its eligibility rules.

Gill, 43, has been part of the WPGA Tour for eight years – and last year won the Australian Women’s Classic title.

However, the WPGA has followed the trend of other golf tours around the world and made a dramatic change to eligibility requirements.

The new rules which will come into force on January 1, are now requiring players to be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in the WPGA tour for women.

‘Previously, ‘Transitioned’ female athletes were permitted to play the Tour if they meet additional eligibility requirements, however effective from January 1, 2025 the detail relating to this will change,’ said a statement on the WPGA website.

‘Following the lead of the global Tours and decisions guided by medical, scientific, legal expertise, and consultation with their members, the WPGA Tour of Australasia eligibility requirements will now reflect those of the LPGA Tour with membership eligibility for those who are assigned female at birth or have gone through transition prior to puberty.

The 43-year-old golfer has been part of the WPGA Tour for eight years

‘As has been the case across numerous areas, the WPGA Tour of Australasia has been guided by the global Tours, while making a final decision applicable to its events at the Board level to ensure uniformity in women’s golf while ensuring integrity and competitive fairness of women’s professional golf at the highest level.’

The decision comes after the LPGA Tour announced a dramatic change in its gender policy in early December.

The USGA, headed by CEO and former LPGA commissioner Mike Whan, released a similar statement outlining the same policy changes.

The LPGA and USGA say their policies were geared toward being inclusive of gender identities and expression while striving for equity in competition.

The LPGA said its working group of experts advised that the effects of male puberty allowed for competitive advantages in golf compared with players who had not gone through puberty.

The announcement came just two days after commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan announced that she will be resigning in January.

‘Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,’ said Marcoux Samaan, via the Associated Press.

‘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.’

Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson had faced criticism for competing against biological women

Like Gill, the updated policies would rule out eligibility for trans golfer Hailey Davidson, who has been trying to earn her professional status on the women’s tour amid criticism and opposition from almost 300 rival players.

The 31-year-old missed qualifying for the US Women’s Open this year by one shot and came up short in LPGA Q-school.

Davidson last competed as a male golfer in 2015, after which, she began hormone therapy treatments and underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2021.

She was banned from competing in tournaments on NXXT Golf – a women’s professional mini tour – earlier this year after winning the Women’s Classic at Mission Inn Resort and Club, an event on the circuit near Orlando, in January.

The victory allowed the Scot to take a step closer to the LPGA with the NXXT awarding its top five players with exemptions to the Epson Tour – a step below the top tier of the women’s game.

However, the circuit then announced on International Women’s Day that it had reversed its gender policy and that, effective immediately, competitors must be a biological female at birth to participate.

While Davidson failed to clinch her LPGA tour card this year, she will no longer have a second chance next season as the new policy would apply not only to the LPGA Tour, but also the Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and qualifying for the tours.