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Max Homa hit his tee shot on the 13th hole during the first round of The Sentry golf tournament at Plantation Course at Kapalua, Maui, on Jan. 2.
The Sentry will not be contested anywhere in 2026, according to a release from the PGA Tour and Sentry Insurance this morning.
This makes the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club on Jan. 12-18 the opening event of the PGA Tour schedule.
The PGA Tour Champions also will open their 2026 season in Hawaii with the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai (Jan. 22-24) at Hualalai Golf Club on the Big Island, according to the release.
The Tour announced Sept. 16 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 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.
“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. “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 Sentry is a jewel in the PGA Tour schedule,” Stephane Smith, chief marketing and brand officer, chief golf partnership officer at Sentry, said in a statement. “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.”
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PGA Tour officials remain in communication with Hawaii Gov. Josh Green and respective local stakeholders.
“We are appreciative of the PGA Tour’s thorough effort and communication throughout this process,” Green said in today’s release. “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 Hawaii and with the PGA Tour Champions event at Hualalai. On behalf of our communities, we are grateful to Sentry Insurance for their continued support and partnership.”
The chances of Kapalua or some other Hawaii course hosting The Sentry in the future and the future of the Sony Open in Hawaii is unknown, according to the PGA. The existing contract with Sony as title sponsor expires after the 2026 event.
Eligibility for The Sentry field features the top 50 players from the previous year’s FedExCup standings, and 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 field of the RBC Heritage, which is played in April, the week after the Masters.