The PGA Tour was compelled to cancel its 2026 season opener as drought circumstances on the island of Maui in Hawaii left the Plantation Course at Kapalua unfit to be used.
Match organisers for The Sentry looked for another venue, however have been unable to discover a possible possibility and finally deserted the US$20 million (A$30.8m) signature occasion that was attributable to be held from January 8-11.
The cancellation signifies that the Sony Open, staged on the Waialae Nation Membership in Honolulu, Hawaii, will likely be subsequent 12 months’s opening event.
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The PGA Tour’s assertion mentioned that “logistical challenges – together with delivery deadlines, event infrastructure and vendor help” have been the explanations for being unable to discover a alternative course for the occasion restricted to the highest 50 on this 12 months’s FedEx Cup playoffs in addition to 2025 event winners.
It was introduced final month that the Tour would want to seek for another as water dialog measures left the Plantation Course ravaged.
Regarding pictures of the bone dry course started to flow into on social media after the Kapalua Resort was compelled to close down for a number of months.
It led to authorized motion with resort proprietor and Japanese billionaire Tadashi Kanai and Kapalua owners submitting a lawsuit in opposition to Maui Land & Pineapple.
The resort and the owners argued that the water scarcity was attributable to system failures, whereas Maui Land & Pineapple disputed these claims, saying the water shortages have been the results of naturally low flows fairly than supply points, and filed a countersuit.
Golf followers around the globe have been sadden to see the photographs of a barren Plantation Course, because it has been a fan favorite over time attributable to its beautiful Pacific Ocean views and the course boasting many entertaining holes, most famously the downhill par 5 18th.
It has additionally been a birdie-fest in latest instances with this 12 months’s champion Hideki Matsuyama ending -35 to interrupt the PGA Tour scoring file set by Australia’s Cameron Smith on the similar course in 2022 by one shot.
However on the identical day, the event was cancelled, the resort introduced that golf will re-open to the general public subsequent month with tee instances in a position to be reserved for US$399 (A$615).
Though, allegedly two of the greens are nonetheless being restored.
Sentry’s sponsorship of the occasion is beneath contract till 2035, however rather a lot stays unknown about the way forward for the event.
“We’re dedicated to enjoying The Sentry,” Stephanie Smith, the chief advertising and model officer at Sentry who oversees the golf partnership, mentioned.
“We all know from our conversations with the tour that The Sentry will likely be on the schedule. There’s so many components in play proper now. What’s occurring on the island? Will the water challenge be resolved? Will the course be playable? What concerning the lawsuits being resolved?
“We’ve had good conversations,” she added. “We’re dedicated to enjoying The Sentry once more on the degree we now have prior to now.”