India, March 22 -- A transgender woman seeking to compete in women's USGA events has filed a lawsuit claiming that a policy change adopted in 2024 unlawfully barred her from participating in a U.S. Women's Open qualifier last year. Hailey Davidson named the golf club hosting the qualifier, along with the USGA, the LPGA and three LPGA officials in a lawsuit filed Thursday in New Jersey. She's seeking unspecified damages.

The USGA and LPGA changed gender policies for events in 2025 and beyond, declaring that players must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to be eligible to compete. The 33-year-old Davidson didn't transition until after puberty. She competed in a U.S. Open qualifier ...