Transgender golfer Breanna Gill faces death threats after winning professional tournament

The tweet didn’t mention that Gill was transgender, but various reports, including that of US professional golfer Hailey Ostrom, criticized that a trans person could win a female golf tournament.

In response to a Twitter account saying, “…One solution would be to create a trans league to level the playing field,” Ostrom said, “That’s my opinion as well.”

“It’s the biggest win of her life. It’s really sad that she can’t celebrate this win.”

WPGA Tour of Australasia President Karen Lunn

By the next day, the WPGA’s tweet had reached over seven million people and received thousands of replies.

Many of the replies were abusive, and a source who saw the messages addressed to Gill described it as a “targeted attack”.

Gill then deleted her social media profiles on Twitter and Instagram.

The WPGA’s tweet about Gill was also deleted, and the tour’s account was made private to mitigate the abuse.

Lunn said the tournament deleted the tweets over concerns for Gil’s wellbeing.

Lunn said she received death threats, as did other ruling members of the WPGA.

The WPGA has welcomed transgender players since 2004, a policy adopted by all seven major international women’s golf tournaments.

This policy requires athletes to have undergone gender reassignment surgery; have been on hormone therapy for at least a year; and present legal documents recognizing their gender as female.

The adequacy and acceptance of these Terms are at the discretion of WPGA.

According to Lunn, Gill met all relevant eligibility criteria.

She added that Gill’s membership and entering competitions has never been a problem for the organization’s 300 members.

“Everyone is concerned for their well-being,” Lunn said. “It’s obviously a very tough time.”