HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – State officials say they still hope to have the Sentry golf tournament played in Hawaii after the PGA said it could not be played at the Kapalua course that has hosted it for years.
Just changing courses isn’t as simple as it sounds, given the limited time to find and prepare another golf course and the money it would cost to support the tournament.
But James Tokioka, director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, says he’s not going to stop trying to get the tournament played on Maui.
“That’s huge for the island of Maui. It’s huge for the nonprofits,” Tokioka said. “It’s just huge for the confidence of everything that’s happening in Maui coming back to normal.”
Tokioka said the Sentry brings an estimated $48-50 million in economic activity to Maui.
With the Kapalua courses parched and dying for lack of water and unable to host, Tokioka says he is scrambling to find an acceptable alternative.
“There’s potential properties and golf courses out there that could host the tournament and we’re doing everything we can to find another path,” he said.
He points out that the PGA announcement didn’t say the tournament was canceled, just that the venue was ruled out.
The statement said “the 2026 playing of The Sentry will not be contested at The Plantation Course at Kapalua due to ongoing drought conditions.”
Asked if PGA gave any indication that they’re open to another venue, Tokioka said, “I haven’t been in that discussion, but if you look at the press release, it doesn’t close the door for anything in Hawaii, so that’s a good thing.”
Tokioka says he suggested the private King Kamehameha Golf Club south of Wailuku to the PGA based on recommendations from the Maui Junior Golf Association. It has stunning views and a world-class club house, but its unclear if it is challenging enough for the worlds best golfers.
And club leadership didn’t even know Tokioka has made the suggestion.
“I personally haven’t spoken to the leadership there, but I know that there’s many people in the community that are trying to do the outreach to see if this is a possibility,” he said.
Hearing the development in a call from Hawaii News Now, club management said they couldn’t comment until they hear a plan.
Tokioka believes the PGA would be open to Maui because the Sentry and Sony Open were a twofer for the PGA to begin the season.
He says the golfers love Hawaii and having two tournaments is cost efficient for each.
“If it’s just the Sony paying for that, it’s going to be a big burden on Sony,” Tokioka said. “So if it went to another golf course in the state of Hawaii, it would just be a shift from one place to the other.”
Tokioka says the state already covers some costs for the tournaments, and the Hawaii Tourism Authority would be willing to pitch in for the change.
Experts say an added factor is that the PGA is no longer run by the players. It’s a for-profit business, not a charity, and the cost of Hawaii tournaments may be a bigger factor than in the past.
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