LPGA Tour faces calls from pro golfers to change gender-eligibility policy during leadership transition.

This week, the LPGA Tour experienced a change in leadership as Mollie Marcoux Samaan announced her resignation as commissioner, effective next month. Liz Moore has been appointed as the interim commissioner.

Since May 2021, Marcoux Samaan has served as the tour commissioner and introduced record prize money to the organization. However, the tour did not see an increase in popularity during a rise in women's sports. On the other hand, Moore has been the chief legal and technology officer.

The LPGA Tour faced a major controversy over trans inclusion in women's sports when Hailey Davidson, a transgender golfer, attempted to gain an LPGA Tour card through Q School. Davidson had previously been removed from the NXXT Tour due to its policy prohibiting transgender athletes from competing against the gender they identify as.

Three individuals, two professional women's golfers and one retired pro, expressed hope that the LPGA Tour would implement a policy to prohibit transgender athletes from competing against biological females on the tour.

Lauren Miller, a pro golfer and ambassador for the Independent Women’s Forum, stated on Wednesday in a news release that her hope is for the next LPGA commissioner to have the courage and boldness to prioritize fairness by keeping women’s golf female.

Hannah Arnold hoped for a focused leadership in the organization.

"Arnold, an IWF ambassador, stated in a news release that the LPGA Tour should prioritize the players first and foremost. As a professional golf tour, it is crucial to hold leadership accountable to the players. Arnold hopes that the tour will adopt a player-first mentality in the future."

Amy Olson, a retired LPGA player and IWF ambassador, commended Marcoux Samaan for boosting tour pay but emphasized that the next leader must prioritize the "L" in LPGA, which stands for Ladies.

Olson added that the next leader must address the meaning of the "L" in LPGA, which is a crucial issue for Mollie, who has been a strong advocate for increasing pay for LPGA players.

Among the golfers who signed a letter to the LPGA Tour demanding the organization acknowledge the male advantage when it comes to golf between the two genders were each of them.

The LPGA Tour must limit the right of female professional golfers to participate in women's golf based on sex-eligibility to only those who are female.

The LPGA Tour has a policy that permits transgender golfers to compete, provided they undergo sex-reassignment surgery after puberty and fulfill hormone therapy requirements.

Golfweek obtained a memo from Marcoux Samaan in August stating that the LPGA Tour and Epson Tour will review their gender policy and implement any changes before the start of the next season, which will conclude by the end of the year.

Planet Chronicle’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.

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