LPGA to change gender requirement

ORLANDO, Fla. — The LPGA Tour has voted to remove the "female at birth" requirement from its constitution, responding to a lawsuit filed by a 57-year-old California woman who had her sex changed five years ago.

LPGA Tour commissioner Michael Whan said players voted Tuesday night at a year-end meeting to amend the constitution. Whan says steps will be taken in the coming weeks to make the change.

Lana Lawless, a former police officer who had a sex change operation five years ago, filed a federal lawsuit in San Francisco in October claiming the "female at birth" requirement violated California's civil rights law. She was seeking to prevent the LPGA from holding tournaments in the state until it changed its policy.

Lawless also sued the Long Drivers of America, which followed the LPGA policy.