Professional golf’s presence in Hawaii will come to an end after 2026, the PGA Tour announced Monday, marking the conclusion of more than 50 years of tournament play in the island state.
The decision follows the cancellation of the 2026 Maui tournament, which was scrapped due to severe drought conditions affecting the Plantation Course at Kapalua.
The Sentry tournament, previously called the Tournament of Champions, had traditionally kicked off each PGA Tour season in January. The event served this role from 1986 through 2013 and again in 2024-25. With this year’s cancellation, the tour began its season less ceremoniously at the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, followed by The American Express tournament in La Quinta, California.
The elite Sentry tournament typically featured the top 50 players from the FedEx Cup standings along with all winners from the prior season.
Water rights conflicts with a local company at the Plantation Course proved impossible to resolve, prompting officials to announce the 2026 event’s cancellation last October.
The Sony Open on Oahu now faces an uncertain future as well. The tournament, which allowed golfers to spend two weeks in the Pacific by pairing with The Sentry, may be transferred to the Champions Tour and potentially combined with the senior circuit’s Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.
Tour officials indicated that additional details regarding the 2027 schedule will be released later.
In an official statement, the PGA Tour expressed appreciation for the long-standing partnership: “We are grateful to The Plantation Course at Kapalua, Kapalua Resort, Maui County and the state of Hawaii for their longtime support of our season- opening PGA Tour event, as well as the fans, partners and volunteers across Maui who have supported the event throughout the years.”
Sentry maintains its title sponsorship agreement with the PGA Tour through 2035, requiring the organization to find a new tournament for the company to sponsor. Reports indicate executives have visited Torrey Pines in San Diego this season, as that venue’s partnership with Farmers Insurance is set to expire this year.
Chris Gotterup captured the Sony Open victory on January 18, officially launching the 2026 PGA season.
