News

LPGA Tour pro Mel Reid comes out as gay, calls for openness and inclusivity in golf

Published

7 years ago

Dec 11, 2018

LPGA and LET professional Mel Reid has discussed her decision to openly come out as gay, citing a “fight for equality” as one of the reasons behind her public revelation.

Reid made the admission to Athlete Ally, an organization which advocates equal access, opportunity, and inclusion in sports. In the Q&A with Athlete Ally on Monday, the six-time LET winner spoke about the issues that she has faced in her career, including the fact that homosexuality is illegal in certain countries that the Tour visits.

“The Tour is a very welcoming community and it’s rare that anyone has an issue with sexuality or openly express any issues. The only problem we run into is that being gay is still illegal or frowned upon in certain countries we play in.”

The LET had previously held their season finale in the UAE, a country where homosexuality is a crime. In 2018 the event was moved to Morocco where homosexuality is also illegal and can be punished with anything from 6 months to 3 years imprisonment.

On the European Tour, there are currently three events held in Dubai, and one in Qatar, where homosexuality is also illegal. The Tour revealed this year that Saudi Arabia would be hosting a new tournament in 2019, a move which has courted plenty of controversy due to the countries number of human rights issues.

The 31-year-old also commented on her consciousness of a particular “culture around the sport,” which has prevented her from being open about her sexuality in the past.

“There are also a lot of male-dominated sponsors that are looking for certain types of players, so that’s why I have felt I can’t be quite as open as I would like to be when it comes to my personal life.

“The only issues I have had is when I have taken my girlfriend with me to dinners or awards, and I’m very conscious how I introduce her depending on the environment I’m in, because of the culture around the sport and the assumption that the sponsors would want to keep that part of my life quiet.”

As an Athlete Ally ambassador, Reid hopes that she can make the sport more open and inclusive, stressing how important it is to her “to always fight for equality.” While the Englishwoman also encouraged others struggling with their identity to be open and proud of who they are.

“I protected my sexuality for a long time because I thought I had to in order to help my career and to get more sponsors. But then I started to wonder why these companies would want to sponsor me and have me represent them if I can’t be my authentic self. There is only one of you in the world and you have one life, so be the best version of yourself and be proud of who you are.”

Reid is the second golf professional to come out as gay in recent months. In September, Tadd Fujikawa became the first male pro to do so.

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Gianni Magliocco

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at gianni@golfwrx.com

14 Comments

Dave

Dec 20, 2018 at 8:38 pm

She’s calling for much more than openness in golf. She wants other countries/cultures to change. That’s a tall order. She should be able to be who she is where the tour takes her. And, I don’t blame her. Women are very nice…

Reply Report comment
Ted

Dec 17, 2018 at 3:15 pm

I just want to see great golf. Swing how you like.

Reply Report comment
A. Commoner

Dec 15, 2018 at 8:38 pm

Same old claptrap over and over. Today it seems as though ‘self disclosure’ is regarded as a great virtue by those doing the yapping. The motivation/causation behind this public ‘revealing behavior’ is not something one is encouraged to discuss. Suffice it to say many people are tired of it.

Reply Report comment
CaoNiMa

Dec 13, 2018 at 2:15 am

Phew I thought this was going to be about equality of Tour purses, and I’m glad it’s not, because I was going to say that she is totally deluded if that’s what she wants, when hardly anybody shows up to the LPGA events, how does she expect any purses to go up when the admission receipts at the ladies events can’t even make up for the cost of putting up the events at many of them. the sponsors aren’t going to shell out more for the poor return

Reply Report comment
- Dave
  
  Dec 20, 2018 at 8:31 pm
  
  Uh…well, it wasn’t about that, so…(?)
  
  Reply Report comment
Bert Gwaltney

Dec 12, 2018 at 7:51 pm

It’s OK, it’s her choice, not sure of her reasoning, but I do have a question. Will she play in events that are held in these countries? Even take her girlfriend to dinner there? I hope not.

Of course Rory had no problems in supporting tournaments in Dubai, will the European Tour continue to hold events in countries that are so discriminatory? Yes, of course they will, follow the money.

Reply Report comment
Speedy

Dec 12, 2018 at 5:41 pm

Good on Mel. Maybe more active players in all professional sports will feel secure enough to follow her lead.

Reply Report comment
DB

Dec 12, 2018 at 1:30 pm

LOL at “I protected my sexuality for a long time because I thought I had to in order to help my career and to get more sponsors.”

Does she live in the modern world? Has she ever seen commercials before? Major corporations are fully on board with the poz and they will happily plaster her all over commercials to signal just how woke and virtuous they are.

Reply Report comment
Jamie

Dec 12, 2018 at 11:24 am

The British multitiered system of libtardation enabling false paradigms. Screw the “fight for equality” myth. This has nothing to do with equality. This is a publicity stunt. In September 2015, Reid told ESPN that her life “was a mess … I wasn’t coping, I was rebelling. I was spending time with people who partied. I was hitting the self-destruct button. I was with a lot of people, but I was lonely”. So glad to be an American where we have equal protection under the law and freedom of association.

Reply Report comment
Scheiss

Dec 12, 2018 at 11:10 am

Well this was no surprise.

Reply Report comment
Johnny Penso

Dec 12, 2018 at 10:28 am

In the west nobody really cares. The Middle East is stuck in the dark ages, well the Arab countries at least, Israel is no problem.

Reply Report comment
- Gun Violent
  
  Dec 12, 2018 at 11:02 am
  
  Racist.
  
  https://www.reddit.com/r/badhistory/comments/1apq4m/the_hole_left_by_the_christian_dark_ages_graph/
  
  Reply Report comment
Gunter Eisenberg

Dec 12, 2018 at 9:47 am

You know when society has accepted equality and rights for gay people when nobody cares when they come out of the closet.

Reply Report comment
- Jamie
  
  Dec 12, 2018 at 11:34 am
  
  Screw special rights for anyone. In America we have equal protection laws and freedom of association. Now in dark ages places like England with dark ages institutions like royalty, I have no idea and don’t really care.
  
  Reply Report comment

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Published

2 days ago

May 12, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

Scottie Scheffler leads the betting ahead of the second major championship of the year, with the World Number One a +345 favorite to get his hands on a second PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy who won the Masters back in April is a +800 shot to complete half of the calendar slam at Aronimink Golf Club this week, while Jordan Spieth can be backed at +5900 to become a career grand slam winner.

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Scottie Scheffler +345 – (Check 0ut his WITB here)

Rory McIlroy +800 – (Check out his WITB here)

Jon Rahm +1300
Cameron Young +1500
Bryson DeChambeau +1700
Xander Schauffele +1850
Matt Fitzpatrick +1950
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Tommy Fleetwood +2600
Collin Morikawa +3500
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Justin Rose +4300
Russell Henley +4600
Si Woo Kim +4700
Justin Thomas +4800
Robert MacIntyre +5300
Patrick Cantlay +5300
Viktor Hovland +5400
Tyrrell Hatton +5500
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Sam Burns +6000
Hideki Matsuyama +6200
Adam Scott +6400
Rickie Fowler +7000
Chris Gotterup +7400
Patrick Reed +7400
Min Woo Lee +7800
Ben Griffin +8000
Sepp Straka +8400
Shane Lowry +9000
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Maverick McNealy +9200
Joaquin Niemann +9200
Jake Knapp +9200
Jason Day +9600
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J.J. Spaun +10000
Harris English +10500
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Davis Riley +225000
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Jordan Gumberg +450000
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Austin Hurt +500000
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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 PGA Championship

Published

2 days ago

May 11, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site for the second major of 2026: The PGA Championship from Aronimink in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

The tournament’s location, just outside Philadelphia, and its status as a major championship mean GolfWRXers are in for a treat: WITBs from a strong field, custom gear celebrating the PGA Championship, and the rich culture of the City of Brotherly Love — we have noted a relative absence of cheesesteak-themed items thus far this week, but most of the rest of the usual suspects are well represented.

Check out links to all our photos below.