The PGA Tour, in partnership with Sentry Insurance, has announced the cancellation of The Sentry for the 2026 season due to ongoing drought conditions and strict water restrictions on the island of Maui.
The $20 million Signature Event traditionally opens the PGA Tour calendar each January at Kapalua’s Plantation Course. Its removal from the schedule marks the first time a PGA Tour event has been cancelled for reasons unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020.
Kapalua Course Conditions Force Cancellation
The Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort has hosted the tournament for decades, but current environmental conditions have made the venue unsuitable for a PGA Tour event.
In a statement released September 16, the Tour said water restrictions imposed by Maui County have significantly affected the course’s ability to maintain tournament-level conditions ahead of the scheduled January 8–11, 2026 dates.
Maui is currently facing a severe drought, prompting strict conservation measures that limit both indoor and outdoor water use across the island. These restrictions have directly impacted course maintenance at Kapalua, where adequate irrigation is essential to prepare the layout to PGA Tour standards.
As a result, the Plantation Course has deteriorated from the lush condition typically required for professional competition. Even if weather conditions improve, the Tour said there would not be enough time to restore the course to the level expected for a Signature Event by early January.
Finding an Alternative Venue Proved Difficult
Once it became clear Kapalua might not be playable, the PGA Tour began working with title sponsor Sentry Insurance to explore alternative options for staging the tournament in 2026.
Discussions reportedly included the possibility of moving the event to another course in Hawaii or relocating it to the U.S. mainland. However, organizing a major tournament on short notice proved too complicated.
The Tour cited several logistical challenges that ultimately made relocation impossible. These included shipping deadlines for tournament equipment, building the infrastructure required for a PGA Tour event, and securing vendor commitments. Hawaii’s geographic isolation further complicated transportation and planning timelines.
“Since it became possible that the PGA Tour might not be able to play at the Plantation Course because of the continuing drought conditions on Maui, we have worked with our partners at Sentry to explore options for playing The Sentry in 2026,” said Tyler Dennis, the PGA Tour’s Chief Competitions Officer.
“This decision is unfortunate, and we appreciate the cooperation and commitment of Sentry Insurance.”
Sony Open Becomes Season Opener
With The Sentry removed from the calendar, the Sony Open in Hawaii will now serve as the opening event of the 2026 PGA Tour season.
The Sony Open will remain at its traditional venue, Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, and will be held from January 15–18. The tournament carries a purse of $8.7 million and will now assume the role normally held by The Sentry as the first event of the year.
Because The Sentry was one of the Tour’s Signature Events, its cancellation also affects the overall structure of the 2026 schedule. The number of Signature Events will drop from nine to eight for the season.
To address qualification concerns, the PGA Tour has introduced a special exemption for players who would have qualified for The Sentry by winning a tournament but were not inside the FedExCup Top 50. Those players will still receive an additional start in another Signature Event during the season.
Sponsor Remains Committed
Sentry Insurance, the tournament’s title sponsor since 2018, remains committed to its partnership with the PGA Tour despite the cancellation. The company’s sponsorship agreement runs through 2035.
Stephanie Smith, Sentry’s Chief Marketing and Brand Officer, emphasized the company’s dedication to the event and its future.
“The Sentry is a jewel in the PGA Tour schedule,” Smith said. “We were determined to find a way to hold a Signature-level event in 2026 to maintain the tournament’s traditions and deliver the level of competition that players and fans expect. Unfortunately, despite the Tour’s best efforts, it became impossible.”
Smith added that Sentry continues to support both the PGA Tour and the tournament’s long-term future.
Uncertain Future for Kapalua
While the cancellation resolves the immediate issue for 2026, the long-term future of The Sentry at Kapalua remains unclear.
The tournament has been a fixture at the Plantation Course for more than two decades and has long served as the ceremonial start to the PGA Tour season. However, its return in 2027 will depend on improvements in Maui’s water situation and the resolution of ongoing drought-related restrictions.
For now, the Tour and its partners will continue monitoring environmental conditions on the island while considering possible solutions for the tournament’s return.
Until those issues are resolved, one of the PGA Tour’s most recognizable season-opening events will remain absent from the schedule.