PGA Tour hopeful opens up after suspension for Bryson DeChambeau bets

PGA Tour hopeful Jake Staiano says it was 'a weird year' after he was suspended for three months over bets he placed on Bryson DeChambeau. 

Staiano was one of two Korn Ferry Tour players who were suspended last October for wagering money on PGA Tour events. 

Vince India was the other player who violated the PGA Tour's integrity program, although he received a heftier punishment of six months. 

Staiano previously told MondayQInfo that he placed four bets in 2021 that totalled $116.20. 

One was a $25 bet on the aforementioned DeChambeau to birdie a par-5 in a PGA Tour event while the others were placed on his exhibition match against Brooks Koepka. 

Staiano is now hoping to get his very first PGA Tour card via Q-School. 

He told Golf Channel his time away from the game was 'weird'.

Staiano said: "Everything was pretty much up in the air, I didn't play a ton of golf, but I almost needed it. 

"I enjoyed life more, got to hang out with some buddies, do some fun stuff and, in a way, not be a professional golfer for a year.

"It helped me reset, I put a lot of hard work in, and it definitely gave me more hunger going into Q-School this year."

He added: "At the end of the day, everything is going to happen for a reason.

"I sat back and watched a bunch of my buddies get their PGA Tour cards this year, guys I know, guys I've played with, and one of them is Matt McCarty, who obviously has balled out."

Staiano was referring to McCarty's recent victory at the inaugural Black Desert Championship in Las Vegas. 

McCarty is a highly-rated prospect and his win also secured him a starting berth at next year's Masters Tournament.

Staiano continued: "It sucked, but at the same time, I had to remind myself that there is going to be good that comes from it, and instead of being down on myself and wallowing in it, I took it as motivation to get back there [on Tour].

"I definitely attribute the success this past week to that, and there's definitely that extra hunger and drive that I maybe didn’t have before."

For his part, India has apologised. 

He did post a statement on X but that has since been deleted. 

Why doesn't the PGA Tour announce details of suspensions?

The PGA Tour has always been secretive in this regard. 

Primarily, this is down to players' privacy and overall reputation management. 

Publicising these issues could lead to negative media attention. 

Which other players have been suspended by the PGA Tour?

Dustin Johnson took a leave of absence from the game in 2014 and it is generally accepted that he was suspended by the PGA Tour for issues related to substance abuse. 

Matt Every was also suspended twice for violating the PGA Tour's conduct policy. He tested positive for marijuana. 

Former World No.1 Vijay Singh was also suspended in 2013 after tested positive for a banned substance found in deer antler spray. 

His suspension was later dropped, however, after Singh sued the Tour.

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