Trans Golfer Hailey Davidson More Than Ready To Take A Spot From A Deserving Female In U.S. Women's Open

Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson is hopeful for the chance to take a spot away from a deserving female in the upcoming U.S. Women's Open.

Davidson, who was banned from a professional women's tour earlier this year, came within one spot of qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open. The biological male who played on various men's teams in college could still get into the major championship field, however, after earning the first alternate spot in the qualifier at Bradenton Country Club in Florida.

The top two players in the 58-player qualifier field earned automatic spots into the U.S. Women's Open. Davidson's total score of 143 was one shot shy of forcing a playoff with amateur Pimpisa Sisutham, who finished runner-up to Amelie Zalsman.

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.

Davidson getting into the U.S. Women's Open, the most iconic women's golf tournament on the planet, is not out of the question by any means. All it will take is Zalsman or Sisutham withdrawing from the event and Davidson will be the first player called to take the open spot.

OutKick/MattReigle

Players withdrawing from a major, especially two amateurs who qualified like Sisutham and Zalsman is unlikely, but things do happen in life, and Davidson would certainly take advantage of taking an opportunity away from a biological female. 

Davidson shared a post on Instagram addressing the situation, saying they'll be crossing their fingers in hopes of getting into the major championship field.

"I may not have been able to play in any tournaments these last couple of months but that didn’t stop me from continuing to put in the work into my game every single day to be ready for any next opportunity I may have to compete. Now to cross my fingers and hope for the best," Davidson wrote.

"No matter what, NEVER GIVE UP!"

"PS: I DO in fact have legal documentation from the USGA that allowed me to play in the first place so zero rules were broken as always."

Davidson reportedly underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2021, which is required by both the LPGA and USGA gender policy to compete among women.

The USGA's gender policy 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. 

NXXT Golf announced the changes to its gender policy on March 8, which happened to be International Women's Day.