The PGA Tour will not be in Hawaii in 2027 for the first time in 56 years as it moves toward a revamped schedule that no longer will start the season in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
The Sentry was canceled last January on drought-stricken Maui when the grass on the Plantation course at Kapalua was dying due to restrictions brought on by a dispute with the company in charge of a century-old water delivery system.
Two staff members at Kapalua, which is operated by Troon Golf, were notified Monday of the decision not to return. The PGA Tour confirmed it when contacted by The Associated Press.
The Sony Open on Oahu was in the final year of its sponsorship. It had leaned on being the week after Kapalua since 1999 to help attract players for a two-week stay in Hawaii.
The Sony Open is working toward becoming a PGA Tour Champions event to be packaged with the Mitsubishi Electric Championship on the Big Island.
“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,” the tour said in a statement.
It said it would share more details on the 2027 schedule at a later date. The tour also confirmed it was in conversations with the Sony Open about a spot on the PGA Tour Champions schedule, without further comment.
Kapalua began as a winners-only start to the PGA Tour season in 1999, a favorite among players for its wide fairways and endless views of the ocean on the west end of Maui.
Wisconsin-based Sentry took over as title sponsor in 2018, and its most recent extension takes it through 2035.
The most likely landing spot for Sentry is Torrey Pines in San Diego, where several executives attended this year. The previous sponsorship for Torrey Pines with Farmers Insurance ended this year without any intention of renewing.
Stephanie Smith, the company’s chief marketing and brand officer in charge of the golf partnership, did not mention future plans, only to say Sentry was proud of its eight-year run at Kapalua.
“We have said from the beginning, we love Maui and Maui is a Sentry community not unlike our hometown of Stevens Point, Wisconsin,” she said. “We cherish the friends and partnerships we have formed over the past several years. Our commitment to the island runs deep, and we remain committed to being active in the community.”
Hideki Matsuyama was the last winner at Kapalua. The final stroke was an 8-foot birdie putt that set the PGA Tour record for score to par at 35 under.
The tour had been subsidizing the purse increase to $20 million when it became a signature event, and The Sentry was among the most expensive operations because of shipping so much equipment to Maui. Attendance was moderate at best.
The water dispute involved accusations from the Kapalua owner, Japanese billionaire Tadashi Yanai, homeowners and Hua Momona Farms that Maui Land & Pineapple had not maintained the water delivery system.
MLP then filed a countersuit and alleged Kapalua was violating water restrictions.
The Sony Open dates to 1965 and had been played continuously since 1971, played at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, along the ocean down from Diamond Head. It took over as the season opener this year when The Sentry was canceled, won by Chris Gotterup.
The most famous moment in tournament history was Isao Aoki holing out from the fairway for eagle to win in 1983. Ernie Els became the first player to sweep the tour’s Hawaii events in 2003 when he won at Kapalua and Waialae.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
