Davidson claimed first in the NXXT Women's Classic earlier this year
The NXXT Women's Pro Tour, a professional women’s golf tour based in Florida, has updated its policy to ban transgender athletes from competition, announcing Friday that only competitors who are "biological female at birth" will be able to participate in tour-sanctioned events.
This decision follows transgender golfer Hailey Davidson's controversial win at the NXXT Women's Classic earlier this year.
A golf ball and flag pole during Day Two of the B-NL Challenge Trophy at The Dutch golf course on August 27, 2021, in Spijk, Netherlands. (Neil Baynes/Getty Images)
NXXT GOLF CEO Stuart McKinnon described in a statement the change in policy as a "crucial" step in helping to "uphold the competitive integrity that is the cornerstone of women’s sports."
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"Our revised policy is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to celebrating and protecting the achievements and opportunities of female athletes. Protected categories are a fundamental aspect of sports at all levels, and it is essential for our Tour to uphold these categories for biological females, ensuring a level playing field," McKinnon said.
The new policy, announced on International Women’s Day, goes into effect Friday.
"Effective immediately, competitors must be a biological female at birth to participate," a press release from the NXXT Women's Pro Tour read. "This decision underscores the organization’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of women's professional golf and ensuring fair competition."
TRANSGENDER GOLFER HAILEY DAVIDSON WINS WOMEN'S EVENT, INCREASING CHANCES OF POTENTIAL LPGA CARD
The decision to change the tour’s policy comes weeks after transgender golfer Hailey Davidson won the NXXT Women’s Classic in a playoff – a win that Davidson said at the time put the golfer in first place in the race to earn an Epson Tour exemption.
The Epson Tour is the developmental tour of the LPGA Tour. The top 10 players of the Epson Tour graduate to the LPGA Tour.
LPGA tee markers are seen during the final round of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament at LPGA International on December 4, 2005, in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
The backlash from Davidson’s victory prompted NXXT to release a statement explaining its then-policy and how Davidson met the requirements of eligibility.
"The NXXT Women’s Pro Tour’s policies, especially concerning gender, have been formulated in alignment with those of the LPGA and USGA. This approach is crucial in maintaining the integrity of our partnership with the LPGA and ensuring a fair and consistent competitive environment. When Hailey Davidson joined the tour, she complied with these policies by providing necessary documentation, including validation from the LPGA and USGA, which also facilitated her participation in the 2022 Q-School."
Hailey Davidson competes in the NXXT Women's Championship golf tournament at Rio Pinar, in Orlando, Florida, Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Davidson is a transgender golfer facing criticism from those who claim she is destroying golf. (Fox News Digital)
The tour said in response that it would be polling its members on their gender policy and asking Davidson to undergo additional testosterone testing.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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Paulina Dedaj is a Sports Reporter for Fox News Digital.
