Trans Golfer Hailey Davidson Disrespects Female Players With Comment On ‘Taking A Spot’ In U.S. Women's Open

Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson has a legitimate chance at getting into the field for the U.S. Women's Open. This would mean that Davidson would be taking an opportunity away from a deserving female athlete to play in the most high-profile women's golf tournament in the world, but they don't see it that way.

Davidson came within one spot of qualifying for this month's U.S. Women's Open, but earned the first alternate spot in the qualifier at Bradenton Country Club in Florida. Davidson and two other players entered a playoff to decide the two alternate spots, and with a birdie on the opening playoff hole, Davidson earned the first alternate spot with Jasmine Suwannapura taking the second alternate role.

As the first alternate, Davidson would get into the tournament field if either the first or second-place finishers from the Florida qualifier withdraw from the U.S. Women's Open.

It's unlikely for players who qualified to withdraw from a major championship, but things do happen in life, and Davidson would certainly take advantage of taking an opportunity away from a biological female.

Amid the common-sense-having folks pointing out that Davidson getting into the tournament field would mean they would be taking an opportunity away from a deserving biological woman, Davidson shared their opinion on the situation via Instagram.

Spoiler alert: it makes zero sense whatsoever.

Instagram/haileydgolf

Notice that the words ‘female’ or ‘woman’ were not included in Davidson's reaction.

Davidson has spun the narrative in their head that critics of the situation are angry about the qualifying and alternate process of getting into a tournament, and not the fact that a biological male is quite literally a phone call away from competing in a major championship for women.

Davidson competed on multiple men's teams in college before reportedly beginning hormone treatments in September 2015. They reportedly underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2021, which is required by both the LPGA and USGA gender policy to compete among women.

The USGA, which governs the U.S. Women's Open, has a gender policy that reads as follows: 

"For the purposes of registration on entry applications for USGA Championships, players are required to register as either male or female in accordance with their biological assigned-at-birth gender. For any player wishing to compete as a gender that is different than their biological assigned-at-birth gender or for any player who has transitioned or is currently transitioning to a gender that is different than their assigned-at-birth gender, the player will need to follow the processes outlined below in this Policy and comply with all eligibility requirements herein."
 

In March, NXXT Golf, a women's professional tour Davidson was competing and winning on, announced that all competitors must be a biological female at birth to participate.