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The PGA Tour has announced it will not host an event in Hawaii in the 2027 season, ending a 56-year run of hosting a tournament in the Aloha State. The change comes as the Tour and CEO Brian Rolapp have consistently teased a revamped schedule beginning next year.
The Tour was forced to cancel The Sentry at the start of the 2026 campaign due to the dying grass on the Plantation Course in Kapalua amid a local dispute with the company responsible for supplying water to the area.
An aerial view of the golf course from above the ocean before The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua on December 31, 2023 in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR) (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR)
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When The Sentry was canceled, the Sony Open at Waialae Country on Oahu served as the Tour’s season opener in ’26, won by Chris Gotterup. The event was in the final year of its sponsorship, although the Tour has shared that it is working to make the event the inaugural event on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.
Chris Gotterup of the United States celebrates with the trophy on the 18th green after his winning round at the 2026 Sony Open of Hawaii at Waialae Country Club on January 18, 2026 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images) (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
The tour’s removal of The Sentry and the Sony Open wipes out what has now become a traditional two-week stretch on the island to begin a new season.
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The PGA Tour did not share further details about the 2027 schedule after the announcement to leave Hawaii, but since Sentry is reportedly the title sponsor of the event through 2035, it will have to find a new landing spot on the calendar. The logical stop would be Torrey Pines in San Diego, which checks the West Coast and good weather boxes, but the venue is also looking for a new sponsor as the deal with Farmers Insurance ends in 2026.
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A view of the 18th hole is seen during the final round of The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua on January 5, 2025 in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images) (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
The tour’s decision not to begin next season in Hawaii makes sense, as there are plenty of venues in the lower 48 states that are much easier to operate from, but the departure will have a huge financial impact on the state.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that The Sentry is estimated to have an annual impact of $50 million on the community, while the Sony Open directly generates an estimated $100 million in revenue per year, plus an additional $1 million per year for Friends of Hawaii charities.
