A women’s pro golf league is making a change to its rules weeks after a man who claims to be a woman won a Florida tournament and inched closer to a spot on the LPGA qualifying tour.
Hailey Davidson, who played golf on a men’s team in college before identifying as a woman, will no longer be allowed to compete in NXXT Golf after the league revised its policies, The Daily Caller reported on Friday.
“Effective immediately, competitors must be a biological female at birth to participate,” NXXT said in a statement. “This decision underscores the organization’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of women’s professional golf and ensuring fair competition.”
NXXT Golf CEO Stuart McKinnon added that the move demonstrates the league’s “commitment” to protecting women’s sports.
“Our revised policy is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to celebrating and protecting the achievements and opportunities of female athletes,” McKinnon said. “Protected categories are a fundamental aspect of sports at all levels, and it is essential for our Tour to uphold these categories for biological females, ensuring a level playing field.”
Davidson, 30, is currently sitting at 2nd place in the league’s standings, which includes 92 players. The man who identifies as a woman won the NXXT Women’s Classic in January at the Mission Inn Resort and Club in Florida, which at the time put him at the top of the standings and bumped his total winnings for the season up to $4,206.84.
Davidson commented on the decision in an Instagram story on Friday, saying, “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. They changed their policy mid season, after me signing up already and being 2nd in the Player of the Year race.”
Screenshot: Hailey Davidson Instagram
The trans-identifying golfer then complained about female golfers who were upset with him playing against them.
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“As a player if your [sic] upset at me getting to play with my distance (245 yards) then you will never make it to LPGA tour where they are much better and longer than me,” Davidson wrote.
Screenshot: Hailey Davidson Instagram
Shortly after winning the women’s tournament, Davidson appeared in an interview with “Good Morning Britain,” where he admitted that men have advantages over women in sports, but argued that because he had gender surgery, he no longer has that physical advantage over his female competitors.
“My whole philosophy behind all of this is I don’t believe trans people should be banned from sports, but I do believe there needs to be guidelines in effect,” Davidson said in the interview. “Going back even four years ago or even before I had surgery, I definitely had an advantage. I would 100% agree with that.”
“But the difference is now that years have gone on, three years after surgery, my physical capabilities now compared to back then are night and day,” he added. “So again, honestly, I 100% agree that men do have advantages. Say you get a trans person on hormones for a year or no surgery nothing… of course, for the most part, yeah they’re gonna have an advantage.”
Transgender golfer, Hailey Davidson, says she fears for her safety after winning a place on a US tour designed to provide 'growth opportunities' for female players.
She has been accused of having an unfair advantage because she can hit a ball further than a female born player. pic.twitter.com/iN1JGwOuD4
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) January 22, 2024
Following the backlash to Davidson’s tournament victory, McKinnon said NXXT Golf would poll its players on transgender policies.