The Sony Open in Honolulu will be the first tournament of 2026, taking place from January 15-18, the latest start to a season since the PGA Tour was formed in 1969.
The Plantation course in Kapalua has hosted the PGA Tour since 1999, but has been forced to close two of its courses due to severe water restrictions stemming from a dispute with the company in charge of a century-old water delivery system.
The tour said in a statement, “After assessing alternate venues in Hawaii and beyond, the tour determined it would not be able to contest The Sentry in 2026 because of logistical challenges – including shipping deadlines, tournament infrastructure and vendor support.”
Stephanie Smith, the chief marketing and brand officer at Sentry, added, “I am really proud of what The Sentry has become. I didn’t want 2026 to be any less.
“We didn’t want it to be just, ‘Find a place for it in the schedule,’ or ‘Find a course for it that could host it.’
“I wanted Sentry to remain the jewel that it is. I wanted it to be special. When that couldn’t come together, I felt we didn’t have a choice.
“This is not the outcome we wanted, but unfortunately, it’s where we are.”
It is the first time a tournament has been cancelled since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
The Sentry has been the first PGA Tour event every year since 1999, except in 2001, when the season began in Australia with a World Golf Championship.
