R&A changes gender policy in line with LPGA and USGA

The R&A's flagship women's event, the AIG Women's Open (Image via Getty).

The R&A announced a change in its gender policy this Thursday, December 12. The institution called it a "fair competition policy" and largely follows in the footsteps of changes announced last week by the LPGA and the United States Golf Association (USGA).

The core of the change is that transgender players must have transitioned before puberty. Otherwise, they will be considered ineligible to play in R&A-sanctioned tournaments.