PGA Tour Cancels The Sentry, First Since 2020

The PGA Tour has canceled The Sentry (the season-opening Tournament of Champions) for 2026 because drought, water-conservation mandates and degraded agronomic conditions at Kapalua’s Plantation Course, combined with an inability to secure a suitable alternate venue, made staging the event infeasible. Tour and sponsor Sentry Insurance said logistical barriers — including shipping deadlines, tournament infrastructure, vendor support and sponsor preferences — prevented relocation, and Kapalua’s agronomic and water-restriction issues forced course closures. The decision removes one Signature Event from the 2026 schedule and is the PGA Tour’s first event cancellation since 2020. The Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu will instead open the Tour’s mid‑January 2026 season, and the PGA Tour Champions will also begin their season in Hawaii. Players who qualified for The Sentry via wins but are outside the top 50 in the FedExCup will be added to the RBC Heritage field. Sentry Insurance and Tour officials said they remain committed to the event’s future but said the timing of a return and Kapalua’s ability to host again remain uncertain, and the cancellation raises questions about broadcast and sponsorship allocations in Hawaii.