The PGA revealed on Monday that it intends to end its tournament lineup in Hawaii in 2027.
That news came on the heels of the 2026 Maui event having to be canceled due to drought-like conditions on the Plantation Course at Kapalua.
The Sentry, formerly know as the Tournament of Champions, served as the starting-off point for the PGA Tour each January from 1986-2013 and 2024-25. This season’s cancellation created a less ceremonious January start to the PGA season at the Sony Open in Hawaii, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, a week later than usual and The American Express, in La Quinta, Calif., after that.
The star-studded Sentry event typically boasted the top 50 from the FedEx Cup final standings and all winners from the previous season. Overall, the PGA has hosted an event in Hawaii for more than 50 consecutive years.
The Plantation course that hosted The Sentry had been involved in a water rights dispute with another local company that it had been unable to resolve, leading to the announcement of the cancellation of the 2026 event last October.
The Sony Open on Oahu, an event which paired with The Sentry to enable golfers a two-week stay in the Pacific, has been caught in the crossfire and could be moved to the Champions Tour instead. The PGA Tour floated the possibility of pairing it with the senior circuit’s Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai going forward.
Still, the PGA Tour stressed that more details about the 2027 schedule would be shared at a later date.
In a press release, the PGA Tour addressed the larger move, saying in part, “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’s event title sponsorship with the PGA Tour continues through 2035, leaving the organization in need of a tournament to lend its name to. Several executives reportedly visited Torrey Pines in San Diego this season, as that event’s partnership with Farmers Insurance is expected to end this year, according to multiple media outlets.
Chris Gotterup won the Sony Open to begin the 2026 PGA season on Jan. 18.
–Field Level Media
Comments