Golfers and gambling are frequently connected, and this association has grown over time. Two players on the Korn Ferry Tour were recently suspended by the PGA Tour for using their winnings for gambling. Yet, they abstained from gambling during the competitions they participated in.
Phil Mickelson’s gambling habits are well documented. Several other golfers, such as John Daly and Tiger Woods, have also been charged with having gambling addictions.
Here are the four who faced allegations of betting and gambling over the years.
3 golfers who faced action for betting
#1 Vince India
Korn Ferry Tour player Vince India was recently accused of gambling and faced action for his habits. He has been suspended from playing at the PGA Tour-sanctioned tournaments. His suspension will begin on September 18, 2023, and will end on March 17, 2024, as per Sky Sports.
#2 Phil Mickelson
Phil Mickelson is well-known for his gambling habits. He even acknowledged having an addiction to gambling and how it had affected his mental health. Professional gambler Billy Walter claimed in his book Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk that Mickelson has lost around $100 million in gambling and he wagered more than a billion.
Phil Mickelson’s name was linked with an illegal gambling operation, as per a report from ESPN in 2015. However, he was not charged with the crime and was cleared of any wrongdoing in the case.
Earlier this year in September, Phil Mickelson opened up about his gambling habits in his Twitter post. He wrote:
“I crossed the line of moderation and into addiction which isn’t any fun at all. If you ever cross the line of moderation and enter into addiction, hopefully you won’t confuse your enablers as friends like I did.”
#3 Jake Staiano
Jake Staiano has been suspended by the PGA Tour after he was allegedly accused of gambling. The 26-year-old American golfer apparently bet money on the Tour events and has been suspended from September 11, 2023, to December 10, 2023.