New gender policies were announced on Wednesday, outlining that participants in LPGA events and the eight USGA championships for women must either be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female prior to reaching male puberty. These changes, set to take effect in 2025, come after more than a year of research encompassing aspects of medicine, sports physiology, and gender policy law.

This revised regulation will unfortunately disqualify Hailey Davidson, who narrowly missed qualifying for this year’s U.S. Women’s Open by just one shot, in addition to having been unsuccessful in the LPGA Q-school. Davidson began her hormone therapy in 2015 when she was in her twenties and underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2021, which previously allowed her to meet the LPGA’s former criteria. Earlier this year, she claimed a victory on a Florida mini-tour called NXXT Golf until the circuit instituted a policy requiring players to be female at birth.

According to the LPGA and USGA, the objective of these new policies focuses on inclusivity regarding gender identities and expressions, while simultaneously promoting fairness in competition. The LPGA mentioned that guidance from a group of experts indicated that players who experience male puberty could retain competitive advantages over those who did not.

Mollie Marcoux Samaan, the LPGA Commissioner, announced her resignation set for January and emphasized that the policy embodies a thoughtful, science-driven, and inclusive framework. “This policy showcases our ongoing dedication to making everyone feel welcomed within our organization while upholding fairness and competitive equity in our premier competitions,” she stated.

Mike Whan, the previous LPGA commissioner now serving as CEO of the USGA, expressed that the updated guidelines were crafted independently but were later found to echo regulations in sports such as swimming and track and field. “Competitive fairness is the guiding principle,” he remarked in a phone interview. He noted the importance of establishing a clear delineation regarding competitive advantage based on gender, ensuring that any women’s event could confidently assert no participant holds such an advantage under this new policy.

The “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy” established for the USGA is slated to commence with the 2025 championship season, starting with the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball scheduled from May 10-14. While qualifying rounds are already underway this year, no transgender players have participated thus far.

Whan acknowledged that advancements in medicine may prompt changes in these policies going forward, indicating, “As our understanding changes, so too may our regulations. But at this point, we believe this stance is appropriate.” Furthermore, the LPGA’s revamped “Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility” will apply to the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour, and qualifying rounds for these tours.

For players who were assigned male at birth, the requirements stipulate they must demonstrate they have not undergone any aspect of puberty past the initial stage or after the age of 12, whichever occurs first, along with adhering to limitations regarding testosterone levels.

The LPGA is set to commence its 75th season on January 30, featuring the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida.