FILE PHOTO: Golf - The 150th Open Championship - Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland, Britain - July 14, 2022 England's Marco Penge tees off on the 3rd during the first round REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
(Reuters) - Englishman Marco Penge has been suspended by the Europe-based DP World Tour after a disciplinary panel found he placed bets on multiple golf events, the circuit said on Wednesday.
The DP World Tour said Penge, 26, did not bet on himself or during tournament days when he was competing, leading the panel to determine that the integrity of such events had not been compromised.
World number 414 Penge was given a three-month ban that took effect on Dec. 13, although one month has been suspended for a year pending further breaches of the tour's integrity program. Penge was also fined 2,000 pounds ($2,539).
The DP World Tour said Penge's penalties were mitigated due to his immediate admission of breach and co-operation throughout the investigation.
Penge, who most recently played at the Australian Open in November where he finished in a share of 27th place, can return to DP World Tour participation from Feb. 13.
($1 = 0.7877 pounds)
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
