2026 Sentry Tournament Canceled Due to Drought in Maui

The PGA Tour has made the decision to cancel its season-opening event, The Sentry, which was initially set for January 8-11, 2026. This tournament was to be hosted at Kapalua’s Plantation Course in Maui, a venue recognized for holding the event since 1999. However, the ongoing drought situation on the island has rendered it impossible to conduct the event while safeguarding local water resources.

While there were earlier indications that further updates might be forthcoming regarding the tournament's status, speculation about a potential relocation to another course did not materialize. Despite earnest attempts to locate a suitable alternative venue, several challenges—such as sponsorship preferences, course availability, and the logistical demands tied to hosting a PGA Tour event during peak tourist season—rendered relocation impractical.

This cancellation was reached collaboratively with Sentry Insurance and Hawaii Governor Josh Green, emphasizing the priority of protecting the local community's water supply. PGA Tour Chief Competitions Officer Tyler Dennis remarked on the unfortunate nature of the decision and expressed gratitude for the collaboration with partners such as Sentry Insurance.

The void created by the cancellation of The Sentry will result in a revised PGA Tour schedule that will now kick off on January 15 with the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club. This adjustment follows the earlier relocation of the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational due to wildfires in Los Angeles, which proceeded successfully at Torrey Pines in San Diego.

The future of The Sentry remains uncertain, yet the existing contract between the tournament and PGA Tour runs through 2035. Traditionally, this tournament has served as a prominent event in the season, attracting all former PGA Tour winners and the top 50 from the FedEx Cup standings. Hideki Matsuyama currently holds the title as the defending champion.

To mitigate the impact of this cancellation, players who did not secure a spot in the FedEx Cup top 50 but had victories in 2025 will now qualify for another signature event, the RBC Heritage in April. The 2026 schedule will feature eight signature events, including a newly introduced competition, The Miami Championship at Trump National Doral’s Blue Monster course in late April. The opening signature event for the season is slated to be the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in the second week of February.

The Sentry has historically been a highly viewed tournament, broadcast during prime time on the East Coast and highlighted by its tropical backdrop in a season when many golf fans are hindered by winter climates. Its cancellation not only illustrates the PGA Tour's commitment to environmental sustainability but also ensures that players continue to have competitive opportunities throughout the 2026 season.