London, United Kingdom (AFP) — Transgender women who have gone through male puberty will not be allowed to play in women’s golf tournaments organized by the R&A from 2025 under a new “fair competition policy,” the governing body announced on Thursday.

The R&A, which governs the sport outside the United States and Mexico, has updated guidelines following “extensive consultation” with medical and scientific experts.

The ruling brings the organization into line with new policies established by both the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) and the USGA (US Golf Association).

“The evidence shows that golf is a gender-affected sport in which male puberty confers a performance advantage,” the R&A, based at St Andrews in Scotland, said in a statement.

“From the start of 2025, a golfer entering female professional and elite amateur championships organized by the R&A must have been female at birth or transitioned to female before the onset of male puberty to be eligible to compete.

“Players assigned male at birth and who have experienced male puberty are ineligible to compete in these events, but can enter male professional and elite amateur championships organized by the R&A.”

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “We have carefully reviewed the best available medical and scientific advice relating to participation in elite and scratch level golf competitions by transgender athletes and decided that updating our entry conditions to preserve fairness in our female professional and elite amateur championships is the right thing to do.

“While we believe that golf should be open to all and are committed to developing the sport, we recognize that we have a duty to ensure that in our elite competitions players can compete fairly and equally.”