On Friday, news broke that HotelPlanner Tour player, Cedric Gugler, had been handed a 10-tournament suspension after what was described as a “reckless infringement of the rules of golf” by the European Tour Group.
Starting from 2026, the Swiss player will be unable to play in the first 10 events on the HotelPlanner Tour, with Gugler set to miss five months of the season on the second-tier circuit.
Best picks for you
Statement From Cedric Gugler Via Instagram
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: Getty Images)
(Image credit: Instagram: @cedricgugler)
“Dear Friends. As some of you may have heard, I have been suspended by the European Tour for the first ten Hotel Planner Tour tournaments of the upcoming season.
“As an athlete who has played golf since the age of six, and for whom fairness, respect, and sportsmanship have always been top priorities, this is of course a very difficult moment.
“I have been accused of not marking or replacing my ball correctly on the green during the first round of the Kaškáda Golf Challenge. This is what my playing partners reported to the tournament officials after the round.
“My mistake was that, during the initial hearing in the tournament office on the same evening, I somewhat carelessly admitted that it might have been possible – out of simple inattentiveness – that the ball was not placed back exactly on the same spot.
“However, it was never my intention to gain any sort of advantage. Unfortunately, this imprecise statement triggered a long and burdensome process, which has now resulted in this decision.
“I deeply regret this mishap. I accept the decision, and I will use it as motivation to be even more careful in the future – especially when marking and replacing my ball on the greens.
“Thank you all for your support during this difficult time. Yours, Cedri.”
Gugler during the first round of the Raiffeisenbank Golf Challenge
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The event in question occurred in June of this year at the Raiffeisenbank Golf Challenge in the Czech Republic, where Gugler was disqualified after repeated infringements on the greens.
“He was disqualified from the tournament after playing his ball from the wrong place on putting surfaces on multiple occasions,” read a statement from the circuit.
Ranked 875th in the world, the 25-year-old registered a best finish of T30th at the Challenge de Espana, with Gugler missing 11 cuts throughout the year on the HotelPlanner Tour.
He did make it to the final stage of DP World Tour Q-School in mid-November, but rounds of 64, 75, 73 and 72 meant he failed to make it to the final two days of action in Spain.