Professional Golfer Suspended For Three Months For Betting
12/18/2024 02:44 PM
Another professional athlete has fallen victim to a gambling ban. On Wednesday the DP World Tour handed down a suspension to 26-year-old English golfer Marco Penge.
Penge was found to have placed bets on multiple golf events. But according to a statement: "did not bet on himself or on the progress of tournaments during days when he was participating, leading the panel to find that the integrity of such events had not been compromised."
The DP's disciplinary panel reportedly saw fit to suspend the golfer three months, fine him 2,000 euros and make him eligible to return to the tour in mid-February.
According to the European sports association, Penge violated a regulation that states:
No covered person shall either directly or indirectly bet or instruct any other person to bet on the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any professional or elite amateur golf event anywhere in the world.
Penge is currently ranked No. 414 in the world and hasn't enjoyed the best of seasons to this point. He's missed 19 cuts this year and finished No. 110 in the Race to Dubai standings — just enough to hold onto his DP status.
In 2023, the PGA Tour suspended Vince India and Jake Staino for six months and three months, respectively, for gambling on PGA competitions.
It's also worth noting that both the DP and PGA Tours have high-profile partnerships with betting services like OlyBet and DraftKings.
However, both have made efforts to utilize third-parties to monitor their golfers' betting activity and make sure the integrity of their game remains.
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