The PGA Tour season just ended, with Tommy Fleetwood winning the Tour Championship for his first American win. While the Ryder Cup takes center stage for now, there is a concern about the Tour's 2026 schedule. Associated Press reporter Doug Ferguson reports that the PGA Tour season opener, the Sentry at Kapalua Golf in Hawaii, could be temporarily moved.
“Kapalua Resort, the Hawaii course where the PGA Tour has started every year since 1999, is shutting down for two months as it tries to save its water-starved courses during a dispute over the handling of a century-old water system on Maui,” Ferguson reported. “The 60-day closure, which starts Sept. 2 for the Plantation and Bay courses at Kapalua, has raised concerns it might not be able to host The Sentry to start the tour’s 2026 season.”
“The golf course has been damaged with no water for months,” Alex Nakajima, Kapalua's general manager, told Ferguson. “I proposed to the owner that we need to shut the golf course to increase our chances to save the golf course and the tournament.”
This is not new for the PGA Tour. The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club was moved after the Los Angeles wildfires last February. When that tournament was moved, they picked Torrey Pines in San Diego. With the Sentry scheduled for January 5, there are limited options for an American location.
Many golf fans are dreaming of the Sentry moving to Australia for the year, but that is highly unlikely. Despite elite golf courses down under, the PGA Tour does not have an event there. With sponsorships and travel logistics considered, Royal Melbourne feels unlikely.
The PGA Tour could play consecutive weeks at Waialae in Honolulu, which will host the Sony Open the following week. But the hope is that Kapalua is ready for the January 5 first round.
