Transgender Golfer Wins Florida Event, LPGA Is Up Next

The LPGA appears to be the next stop for 28-year-old transgender golfer Hailey Davidson who, on May 13, won a professional Florida mini-tour event at the Providence Golf Club, and now has her eyes squarely set on joining the professional women's golf tour. The win came over LPGA player Perrine Delacour, 101st on the Rolex rankings list, who has $616,000 in career earnings.

“I’m not just going to be stuck on mini-tours,” Davidson said to Beth Ann Nichols of Golf Week. The USGA has given Davidson the go-ahead to compete in its women's tournaments, and it appears the LPGA will soon decide whether the tour is ready for its first trans.

“We are currently reviewing Hailey’s application to participate in LPGA Tour events under the LPGA’s gender policy,” an LPGA official told Golf Week. “The policy is designed to be a private and confidential process between the LPGA and the athlete.”

In 2010, the LPGA removed a "female at birth" requirement, opening the way for transgender players to compete on the tour. Now it comes down to a transgender player qualifying for events. Davidson, with a professional win in her back pocket, appears on a trajectory to get into events based on how she's been performing on the mini-tour.

On April 20 at another mini-tour event, Davidson finished three shots behind Paula Creamer, who has 10 career LPGA wins, including the 2010 U.S. Women's Open. Creamer's career has tailed off considerably, but we're still talking about a woman who has $12,131,822 in career earnings.

Davidson's tournament win on May 13 came against seven women and earned her $550, but she's clearly thinking about bigger paydays down the road. LPGA Q-school is up next and it won't be cheap. She's currently trying to raise $25,000 to get through qualifying to get her tour card.

"I know I have what it takes from being around professional golfers on the LPGA/PGA/Champions Tour over the recent years and staying very competitive with them all. While i know that I have the talent and mental game to make a career out of playing, the initial cost of tournaments and practice expenses is what truly holds me back," she wrote on her GoFundMe page.