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Kapalua Reopens, but PGA Tour’s Hawaii Return Remains Uncertain

The Tour is rethinking January as water security, costs and purse pressures complicate a Maui return.

Overview

  • The Sentry was canceled for 2026 over a water-supply crisis, yet Kapalua’s Plantation Course has reopened in top condition, and the resort’s general manager says it could have met PGA Tour standards this week.
  • Sentry executives visited Maui and donated $1 million to local nonprofits, and the insurer remains signed on as title sponsor through 2035.
  • An ongoing lawsuit over the Honokohau Ditch System keeps long-term irrigation assurance in doubt, with Kapalua channeling its available water to the Plantation Course and keeping the Bay Course closed.
  • Reporting highlights a $5 million annual purse gap after Signature Event increases to $20 million, compared with Sentry’s $15 million commitment, a funding mismatch that factored into decision-making.
  • The Future Competition Committee is reviewing the early-season schedule, Sony’s Honolulu deal ends after 2026, and Sentry says it expects to be back on the 2027 calendar though the venue is uncertain.