The Sentry will not be played anywhere in 2026, PGA Tour announces

The Sony Open in Hawaiʻi at Waiʻalae Country Club on Oʻahu will be the 2026 PGA Tour season opener Jan. 15-18 after the Tour announced today that The Sentry will not be contested in 2026. 

The Sentry had been scheduled for the Kapalua Plantation Course Jan. 8-11 until it was announced by the Tour on Sept. 16 that the event would not be played there due to the water-starved condition of the course.

A news release from the PGA Tour sent to Hawaiʻi Journalism Initiative did not give any indication on the future of The Sentry tournament that has been held at Kapalua every year since 1999.

“Since it first became a possibility that the PGA Tour would not be able to play at The Plantation Course at Kapalua due to the ongoing drought conditions on Maui, we worked closely with our partners at Sentry to assess options for contesting The Sentry in 2026,” PGA Tour Chief Competitions Officer Tyler Dennis said in a news release. “While it is unfortunate to arrive at this decision, we are appreciative of the collaboration and dedication from Sentry Insurance, a tremendous partner of ours.”

The Sept. 16 announcement from the Tour said that due to ongoing drought conditions on Maui, water conservation requirements, agronomic conditions and logistical challenges, The Plantation Course at Kapalua would not be able to host The Sentry in 2026. 

After assessing alternate venues in Hawaiʻi 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.

The PGA Tour said in its news release that it remains in communication with Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green and respective local stakeholders as the PGA Tour gears up to open its 2026 season in Hawaiʻi. 

Both the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions will open their 2026 seasons in Hawaiʻi with the Sony Open in Hawai’i at Waiʻalae Country Club in Honolulu, and the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualālai (Jan. 22-24) at Hualālai Golf Club on the Big Island.

“The Sentry is a jewel in the PGA Tour schedule,” said Stephanie Smith, Chief Marketing and Brand Officer, Chief Golf Partnership Officer at Sentry Insurance. “We were determined to find a way to play a signature level event in 2026 – one that honored the tournament’s tradition and provided the quality of competition that players and fans have come to expect. Despite the Tour’s best efforts, it became impossible to do that. Sentry is committed to our long-term relationship with the Tour – which runs through 2035 – and The Sentry’s place as a prominent event. While 2026 will not turn out as we would have liked, we’re optimistic about the future.”

Since 2018, Sentry has served as title sponsor of The Sentry, the Tour’s season opening event from 1986-2013, and since 2024 when the Tour returned to a calendar-year schedule.

“We are appreciative of the PGA Tour’s thorough effort and communication throughout this process,” Gov. Green said. “Though we’re disappointed The Sentry will not be contested in 2026, we are excited that the beauty and Aloha Spirit of the islands will be showcased to fans around the world at the Sony Open in Hawai‘i and with the PGA Tour Champions event at Hualālai. On behalf of our communities, we are grateful to Sentry Insurance for their continued support and partnership.”

Eligibility for The Sentry field features the top 50 players from the previous year’s FedExCup standings, as well as winners of PGA Tour events from the preceding calendar year. Players eligible for The Sentry in 2026 via a tournament win, but who were not among the top 50 finishers from the prior season’s FedExCup standings, will have access to another Signature Event in 2026, with those players being added to the RBC Heritage field April 16-19 in Hilton Head, S.C.