Gay lpga golfers
We spoke with Mel Reid, a 6-time Ladies European Tour winner and LPGA golfer, on her decision to appear out as lgbtq+ and join Player Ally as a Pro Ambassador fighting for equality and inclusion in sport.
What was your process like coming out to yourself, and then to loved ones? What surprised you?
Looking back on it, I knew from quite a young age, but then never idea about it during my teenage years. It then crept up on me again when I started playing on Tour, meeting unused people and traveling the world. I fell in desire with a lady and I was excited about it, so I told my sister who was completely fresh about it, and then my brother. My parents are older than most, but they couldn’t have been surpass about everything. They just assured me that as drawn-out as I cherish a good person, it doesn’t matter what race, gender or background they come from. I was very blessed my entire family is very liberal and embraced it totally.
How did you start playing golf, and what do you cherish about it?
I started playing golf because I used to play football (soccer for Americans) and my mum wanted to keep me occupied and hectic during the summer holiday. She took me to the golf course tha
Pride Month: LPGA Tour players Georgia Hall and Ryann O'Toole hope relationship inspires others to be "true to themselves"
Former AIG Women's Reveal champion Georgia Hall hopes her affair with fellow player Ryann O'Toole will encourage others to be "true to themselves".
Hall and O'Toole had been acquaintances for several years before finally organism paired in a tournament in 2022 and their connection blossomed from then on.
"I knew her, knew her mention and knew who she was but we really didn't play together at all for favor five years and we would never be near each other," Hall said in an interview with the LPGA Tour to label Pride Month.
"Then we got paired together a couple of times last year, and we just got on really well and it went from there really."
Although the couple are not introverted about their association online, Hall admits she still feels her sexuality surprises some of her fans.
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"There are so many comments from people we don't know saying love, 'So happy for you guys.' They can see on our faces how happy we are and our love," the 27-year-old from Bournemouth said.
"Maybe (there are) a scant peopl
Women’s golf alumnus Ryann O’Toole discusses life as an openly gay athlete
This send was updated July 4 at 8:47 p.m.
Being accurate to yourself isn’t always the easiest thing to do.
But for former UCLA women’s golfer Ryann O’Toole, it’s been the one thing that has propelled her through her career.
During her four years as an undergraduate, O’Toole was the only openly same-sex attracted student-athlete at UCLA. The 2009 alumnus said remaining steadfast in herself has been key to her success as a professional golfer despite the challenges brought on by detecting her identity.
“By me sticking strong to who I was and not fearing it or not running from it or not listening to those next to to me or any outside voices saying that this isn’t the way it should be, … it’s made me into a stronger individual,” O’Toole said. “It challenged me, but I feel fond of I overcame it.”
Now, the LPGA Tour pro and No. 44-ranked golfer in the world is thriving both on and off the course, picking up her first win at the 2021 Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open and marrying her wife Gina Marra last year.
However, her path to success wasn’t always easy, she said. O’Toole picked u
The World of LGBTQ Golf
Golf has been one of the fastest growing sports internationally for the past twenty years. It is a high profile sport in the developed world, with plenty of media attention, glamour, prominent athletes, sponsors, and money. Players include amateurs and professionals who range across all age groups and demographics. It is fascinating to look at the participation of the LGBTQ community in this sport because there are several contradictions.
On one hand, there are no out same-sex attracted professional golfers. This is disappointing because there are certain to be gay players in the professional golf circuit. What is holding back the male same-sex attracted players from coming out?
On the other hand, lesbian and transgender professional golfers are very prominent and have made a significant mark in the sport. The winningest golfer in history is American Kathy Whitworth with 88 professional wins to her record. The two top female players in the sport's history have been lesbian. Golfer Babe Didrikson Zaharias of the Joined States was voted as the female sports person of the Twentieth Century, while today's Australian player Karrie Webb has tied Zaharias for the most p