Matt Gogel, the 55-year-old golfer on the PGA Tour Champions, has been suspended for six months after placing bets on PGA Tour competitions that he did not participate in. The suspension runs from August 23, 2026, through February 22, 2027, the PGA Tour announced Tuesday [1, 2].
Gogel placed small recreational wagers on golf tournaments in 2024 and 2025, unknowingly violating the PGA Tour’s betting policy, according to the player. "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 said [1].
He clarified that these bets were not placed on regular PGA Tour events, PGA Tour Champions events, or any tournaments in which he competed. "In 2024 and 2025, I unknowingly violated the PGA Tour policy by placing small recreational wagers on golf," Gogel said [2].
Gogel has competed on the PGA Tour Champions, the circuit for professional golfers aged 50 and older. In 2026, he played 18 events with two top-10 finishes, including a recent shared 30th place at the Rogers Charity Classic in Calgary, Alberta [3, 1, 4]. Another report noted 17 events with nine top-20 finishes and two top-five results, placing Gogel 20th on the Charles Schwab Cup money list [2].
Over his career, Gogel started 179 PGA Tour events and won once, capturing the 2002 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. He also earned six wins on the Korn Ferry Tour and has earned more than $760,000 from his Champions events in 2026 alone [3, 1, 4, 2].
The PGA Tour has suspended other players in 2023 and 2024 for betting violations but did not specify if Gogel’s suspension included any fines or further penalties [2].
Gogel’s suspension began on August 23, 2026, and he is eligible to return to competition on February 23, 2027 [1, 2].
