The PGA Tour confirmed it has suspended an active Champions Tour golfer for gambling, according to a new Golfweek report on Wednesday, August 26.
Matt Gogel, 55, is serving a six-month suspension after it was determined he placed golf-related bets, the PGA Tour said in a statement after an inquiry from Golfweek. The PGA Tour noted that Gugel did not wager on tournaments in which he competed.
“PGA Tour Champions member Matt Gogel has been suspended for violating the PGA Tour Integrity Program,” the statement said. “Gogel placed bets on PGA Tour competition but did not bet on tournaments in which he was a participant.”
A spokesperson told Golfweek the PGA Tour would
not comment on the specific tournaments or outcomes Gogel bet on. Golfweek is a member of the USA TODAY Network.
Gogel also provided a statement through the PGA Tour.
“In 2024 and 2025, I unknowingly violated the PGA Tour policy by placing small recreational wagers on golf. ..." Gogel said. “I would never knowingly violate the integrity of the game of golf. I made an honest mistake and I look forward to playing in 2027 on the PGA Tour Champions.”
Gogel’s suspension took effect on Sunday, after he finished tied 30th in the Rogers Charity Classic on the Champions Tour. The ban, which includes all PGA Tour sanctioned events, runs through February 22, 2027.
Gogel has competed in 18 events on the Champions Tour in 2026, earning prize money of more than $760,000 dollars. Last month, he tied for second in the ISPS Handa Senior Open, a senior tour major. He currently stands 20th in the Tour’s season-long Charles Schwab Cup points race.
Gogel has not won on the Champions Tour but has earned $2.68 million there since turning 50 in 2021. He joined the PGA Tour in 2000 but retired seven years later due to injuries. He won once, at the 2002 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and earned more than $4.5 million.
– Golfweek's Eamon Lynch contributed to this story
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Golfer suspended for betting on PGA Tour: 'Honest mistake'
Gambling involves risk. Please only gamble with funds that you can comfortably afford to lose. While we do our utmost to offer good advice and information we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of gambling. We do our best to make sure all the information that we provide on this site is correct. However, from time to time mistakes will be made and we will not be held liable. Please check any stats or information if you are unsure how accurate they are. No guarantees are made with regards to results or financial gain. All forms of betting carry financial risk and it is up to the individual to make bets with or without the assistance of information provided on this site and we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of following the betting tips provided on this site. Past performances do not guarantee success in the future and betting odds fluctuate from one minute to the next. The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. It is your sole responsibility to act in accordance with your local laws.
Prediction Markets: Certain prediction markets are event contracts regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) or other applicable regulatory authorities and are legally distinct from traditional gambling and sports betting. Eligibility requirements to participate in prediction markets differ from those for sports betting and gambling — you may be required to be 18 or older (or such other age as the applicable platform requires) and to satisfy other eligibility criteria established by the relevant platform and governing law. Prediction market trading involves financial risk and may not be available in all jurisdictions. The legal and regulatory status of prediction markets varies by jurisdiction and by platform. It is your sole responsibility to confirm that participation is lawful where you reside and to comply with all applicable laws and platform terms.
