Is The PGA Tour Done With Hawaii?

This week should have marked the start of the PGA Tour's 2026 season, with The Sentry at Kapalua Resort's Plantation Course kicking things off in Hawaii as it has so often done over the past few decades.

But, initially announced in September and then confirmed in October 2025, the PGA Tour shared this would not be the case in 2026 - citing draught conditions in the area and the logistical challenges of readying "tour-standard playing conditions."

Due to such factors, Brian Rolapp and co. were forced into making an extremely early decision on cancelling The Sentry which - based on reports from amateurs who have played the Plantation Course recently and a picture of the area shared on social media - may well have been the wrong one.

In fairness to the PGA Tour, there was always a chance Kapalua's crown jewel could bounce back quickly if the weather played ball and resources were borrowed from other areas of its site.

Regardless, from a wider perspective, the fact that drought conditions contributed to the cancellation of the season's opener in 2026 may have actually been very convenient timing from the PGA Tour's perspective.

Per Golf Digest, both The Sentry and the Sony Open are thought to be on the chopping block for the historic US circuit's potential new-look calendar, with both Hawaiian tournaments' respective causes not helped by their modest profitability, meagre crowds and distance from the mainland which leads to logistical complications.

Reports which emerged late last year suggest the PGA Tour is considering a truncated schedule as part of major changes from as early as 2027 which could lead to the removal of both tournaments in Hawaii and potentially a handful of others throughout the year.

One of the ideas which has been widely reported stated the PGA Tour would drop its Signature events and a handful of less profitable tournaments in favor of a shorter and more equal calendar.

This suggestion could mean we've seen The Sentry at Kapalua Resort for the final time already. Plus, Sony's sponsorship of the Hawaii-based Open currently ends after next year and there's no sign of an extension at this stage, leaving that event vulnerable as well.

In a statement given to Golf Monthly, the PGA Tour said it "worked closely with Sentry Insurance, the State of Hawaii, Maui County and other key stakeholders" before cancelling The Sentry this year.

The Tour also said: "Sentry Insurance is a longstanding and valued partner of the PGA Tour, and the two organizations will continue to work very closely together."

The second part of that quote could be deemed the most interesting as the PGA Tour did not say anything on the lines of "we look forward to returning to Kapalua Resort in 2026."

Instead, it mentioned working together with Sentry in the future (there is a deal agreed until 2035). Would Sentry be happy to move away from Hawaii and sponsor another tournament? Only the Stevens Point, Wisconsin-based insurance company could earnestly answer that question...

But speaking of Wisconsin, which joins many other US states in being blanketed by snow at this time of year, losing Hawaiian events would be a great shame for the fans who reside there.

It's at this time of year when enjoying a brief escape from the unflinching cold for four days means that much more. The temperatures in Green Bay and Honolulu are polar opposites and even just watching a sun-filled scene can make you feel warmer.

It would be a shame to lose these tournaments, but it's important to remember that A) nothing has been decided yet, B) it might not happen at all and C) there remains the faint possibility that both events could be combined and slotted elsewhere in the season or placed into the FedEx Cup Fall section of the year.

Either way, this is definitely not the end of PGA Tour golf in Hawaii because the Sony Open is next week. After 2027, who knows?...