National
New LPGA Policy: you must be female at birth to compete
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) updated its gender policy on Wednesday. Players assigned males at birth and those who have gone through male puberty will not be eligible to compete.
The new policy comes into effect in the 2025 season, and covers the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour, and all other elite LPGA competitions, where athletes who are assigned female at birth are eligible to compete.
“Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based, and inclusive approach,” LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said in a statement. “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.”
The policy was informed by a working group of top experts in medicine, science, sport physiology, golf performance, and gender policy law, the LPGA said.
This working group advised that the effects of male puberty give competitive advantages in golf performance compared to players who have not undergone male puberty.
