Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson set to become first trans woman to win LPGA Tour card
A transgender golfer has nearly met the Ladies Professional Golf Association’s qualifications for its second stage, potentially becoming the first to earn an Epson Tour card.
Hailey Davidson, a biological male who identifies as a transgender woman, last competed in a qualifying school stage in 2015 before transitioning into female and scoring 70 in the first round on Thursday and then a 76 during the second round on Friday at the Shadow Ridge Golf Club in Palm Desert, California. Players who score under 88 in all three rounds will earn 2023 Epson Tour Status. Davidson is ranked 127th among the over 300 other female golfers after playing competitively for over a year.
The LPGA tour has accepted golfers who weren’t assigned female at birth since 2010, when it removed the requirement. Davidson began transitioning in 2021.
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Since the transition, Davidson’s swing is 15 mph slower, the golfer said in a podcast interview last month.
“Honestly, what kills me the most is knowing that even if I’m lucky enough to advance to Stage 2, I can’t even afford the entry fee to sign up,” Davidson wrote on an Instagram story Friday. The golfer has a GoFundMe page set up for the tour fees, which cost $2,500 for Stage I and then $1,500 for Stage II. Davidson is asking for $3,000 but has only raised $645.
“Unfortunately, professional golf is so extremely expensive and without the funds, you cannot compete at all,” Davidson said about the fundraiser. “Unlike a team sport, there is no one to pick up expenses other than myself so any help is soo very appreciated to keep the start of my hopeful career going.”
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There were similar problems in the 2021 tournament, where Davidson did not qualify to play. Instead, the majority of Davidson’s time has been spent competing on the East Coast Women’s Pro Golf Tour. Davidson won three of the last five matches before the summer qualifiers and, at one point, scored three shots behind 2010 U.S. Women’s Open champion Paula Creamer.
