The PGA Tour has cancelled its season-opening match, The Sentry, after drought and water conservation points on the Hawaiian island of Maui, and failing to search out an alternate venue.
The Sony Open in Honolulu would be the first match of 2026, going down from January 15-18, the most recent begin to a season for the reason that PGA Tour was shaped in 1969.
The Plantation course in Kapalua has hosted the PGA Tour since 1999, however has been pressured to shut two of its programs because of extreme water restrictions stemming from a dispute with the corporate in command of a century-old water supply system.
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The tour stated in a press release, “After assessing alternate venues in Hawaii and past, the tour decided it could not be capable of contest The Sentry in 2026 due to logistical challenges – together with delivery deadlines, match infrastructure and vendor assist.”
Stephanie Smith, the chief advertising and model officer at Sentry, added, “I’m actually happy with what The Sentry has turn out to be. I did not need 2026 to be any much less.
“We did not need it to be simply, ‘Discover a place for it within the schedule,’ or ‘Discover a course for it that would host it.’
“I needed Sentry to stay the jewel that it’s. I needed it to be particular. When that could not come collectively, I felt we did not have a alternative.
“This isn’t the end result we needed, however sadly, it is the place we’re.”
It’s the first time a match has been cancelled for the reason that Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
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Highlights of the ultimate day of the 2025 Sentry Match of Champions on the Kapalua Plantation Course in Hawaii
The Sentry has been the primary PGA Tour occasion yearly since 1999, besides in 2001, when the season started in Australia with a World Golf Championship.
Smith stated the tour stays “dedicated” to taking part in The Sentry once more, however stated there are lots of elements at play and it’s troublesome to present a definitive reply about the way forward for the course.
In 2025, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama completed with a PGA Tour 72-hole file of 35 beneath par to win The Sentry in Hawaii by three strokes from America’s Collin Morikawa.
Watch the Sony Open in Hawaii stay on Sky Sports activities from January 15-18. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and extra golf contract-free with NOW.
