Hundreds of female golf stars have complained about the participation of transgender player Hailey Davidson in the penultimate stage of the LPGA Tour’s qualifying competition.
Davidson, who was born in Scotland but now resides on Florida, has caused controversy by competing against biological women.
There are fears that the golfer has an unfair advantage – with players now signing a letter in protest, according to OutKick.
Amy Olson, a two-time major runner-up, has been among those who condemned the decision to let Davidson compete.
Hundreds of female golf stars have complained about the participation of transgender player Hailey Davidson in the penultimate stage of the LPGA Tour’s qualifying competition.INSTAGRAM
“These women have worked too hard and too long to have to stand by and watch a man compete for and take their spot,” she said.
According to the report, many within the sport have a similar view.
A huge 275 stars have signed a letter sent to the LPGA, the US Golf Association and the International Golf Federation calling for Davidson’s swift removal from the competition.
The letter read: “We all know there can be no equal athletic opportunity for women without a separate female golf category.
“Yet, the Ladies Professional Golf Association continues to propagate a policy that allows male athletes to qualify, compete and win in women’s golf, even as several national and international governing bodies of sport and state legislatures increasingly reject these unjust and inequitable policies that harm female athletes.
“LPGA policy does not explicitly state eligibility based on sex.
“It is essential for the integrity and fairness of women’s golf to have a clear and consistent participation policy in place based on a player’s immutable sex.
“There are differences between the sexes – female and male – that specifically affect our sport of golf.
“The male advantage in driving the ball is estimated around a 30 per cent performance advantage; this is an enormous difference in the context of sport.
“Anatomical differences between males and females affect clubhead speed and regulating consistency at ball contact.
“Females have higher mean heart rates and encounter greater physiological demands while playing, especially at high altitudes.
“The anatomical differences are not removed with male testosterone suppression. There is no way to turn a male into a female.
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Hailey Davidson has caused controversy by competing against biological women in golf
“Being female is not equated to being male with a reduction in strength.”
LPGA rules permit male-born golfers to compete if they have undergone gender reassignment surgery and met their homonal therapy requirements.
Davidson is, therefore, currently allowed to compete – having undergone gender reassignment surgery three years ago.
The Scot nearly qualified for the US Women’s Open in June and has previously hit out at critics.
Golf’s Amy Olson has been among those to criticise trans star Hailey Davidson
GETTY
“I will never understand athletes who blame a transgender competitor on their own athletic failures,” Davidson wrote on Instagram.
“If you don’t take accountability for your failures then you will never actually be good enough to make it.”