Pga Tour Makes Tough Decision About 2026 Season Opener

The PGA Tour’s opening arena connected nan 2026 schedule will not beryllium played owed to a lingering h2o rumor astatine nan Kapalua Resort connected Maui and nan inability to find a suitable replacement for nan $20 cardinal signature event.

That intends nan Sony Open successful Honolulu will becoming nan opening arena of nan season.

The Sentry, which was to bring together players who vanished among nan apical 50 successful nan last FedEx Cup standings from 2025 arsenic good arsenic 7 different players who were extracurricular of nan apical 50 but won PGA Tour events to nan Plantation course, is nan unfortunate of drought conditions and ongoing h2o issues successful nan area that nan Tour wished past period would mean having to move nan event.

With clip moving retired connected uncovering a different venue, nan Tour and Sentry announced Wednesday that nan determination was made not to play astatine all.

“Since it first became a anticipation that nan PGA Tour would not beryllium capable to play astatine nan Plantation Course astatine Kapalua owed to nan ongoing drought conditions connected Maui, we worked intimately pinch our partners astatine Sentry to measure options for contesting nan Sentry successful 2026,” said PGA Tour main competitions serviceman Tyler Dennis successful a statement. “While it is unfortunate to get astatine this decision, we are appreciative of nan collaboration and dedication from Sentry Insurance, a tremendous partner of ours.”

Sentry has a sponsorship statement pinch nan PGA Tour done 2035 and has been nan sponsor of nan arena since 2018.

It is different for nan Tour to cancel a tourney for reasons extracurricular of terrible weather—or owed to nan pandemic successful 2020—because title sponsorship fees and web tv authorities are a profit halfway for nan Tour.

But nan costs of relocation was apt pricey and nan Tour said different logistical challenges specified arsenic shipping deadlines, tourney infrastructure and vendor support were different factors.

The Tour is scheduled to play nan Sony Open successful Honolulu nan pursuing week, Jan. 15–18. The pursuing week nan PGA Tour Champions visits nan Big Island of Hawaii for nan Mitsubishi Electric Championship.

“The Sentry is simply a jewel successful nan PGA Tour schedule,” said Stephanie Smith, Sentry’s main trading and marque officer. “We were wished to find a measurement to play a signature-level arena successful 2026—one that honored nan tournament’s contented and provided nan value of title that players and fans person travel to expect.

“Despite nan Tour’s champion efforts, it became intolerable to do that.  Sentry is committed to our semipermanent narration pinch nan Tour—which runs done 2035—and nan Sentry’s spot arsenic a salient event. While 2026 will not move retired arsenic we would person liked, we’re optimistic astir nan future.”

The Tour announced that nan players who were eligible for nan Sentry section via victories but not among nan apical 50 successful FedEx points will beryllium fixed spots successful different signature event, nan RBC Heritage successful April nan week pursuing nan Masters. There are respective players successful that business pinch nan imaginable for 4 much via nan remaining events connected nan autumn schedule.

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