Exclusive: PGA Tour Champions player suspended for betting on golf

The PGA Tour has suspended a player on the Champions Tour for gambling, Golfweek can exclusively reveal. 

Matt Gogel was found to have placed golf-related bets, which members are strictly prohibited from doing. After an inquiry by Golfweek, the Tour provided a statement confirming the suspension and noting that Gogel did not wager on tournaments in which he was competing. 

“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 said the PGA Tour would not comment on the specific tournaments or outcomes Gogel bet on. 

Gogel also provided a statement through Tour headquarters.

“In 2024 and 2025, I unknowingly violated the PGA Tour policy by placing small recreational wagers on golf. I want to be clear that these wagers were not placed on regular PGA Tour events, PGA Tour Champions events or any tournament in which I participated,” 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.” 

The suspension covers all Tour-sanctioned events and lasts six months. It took effect Sunday, August 23, the day on which Gogel finished tied 30th in the Rogers Charity Classic on the senior circuit. The ban runs through February 22, 2027. 

Gogel, 55, 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 on the circuit 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. 

The Tour confirmed that Gogel co-operated throughout the disciplinary process. 

The PGA Tour Integrity Program prohibits wagering on any Tour-sanctioned event around the world by members, but also by anyone in their immediate circle who receives credentials to tournaments, including family, caddies and agents. Punishments for infractions include a required education program, a fine of up to $500,000, suspension and even a lifetime ban. 

Eamon Lynch is a columnist for Golfweek and a frequent contributor to Golf Channel.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Exclusive: PGA Tour Champions player suspended for betting on golf

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