PGA Tour to move The Sentry because of drought in Hawaii

The PGA Tour’s season-opening event The Sentry is to be moved because drought conditions in Hawaii have made the host course unplayable.

The event usually takes place in January at the Plantation Course at Kapalua on the Island of Maui.

However, drought conditions in the region mean water conservation measures have been imposed, including at Kapalua.

Tour officials visited the site this month and said the course was “significantly compromised” and would not be in playable condition by January, even if restrictions are lifted in the coming months.

“We support the PGA Tour’s decision, given the drought conditions Maui is facing,” said Hawaii governor Josh Green. “Protecting our water and supporting our communities come first.”

The Sentry, which relocated from California to Maui in 1999, was the PGA Tour’s season opener between 1986 and 2013 before returning to that slot in 2024, when the Tour switched back to a calendar-year schedule.

As the first signature event of the season, the field features the top 50 players from the previous year’s FedExCup standings, as well as winners of PGA Tour events from the previous year.