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With just six events remaining in the current season, the PGA Tour is preparing to wrap up the season and shift focus to the new year. But 2026 will not begin in typical fashion. The Tour has officially removed its signature season-opening event, The Sentry, from the schedule.
Originally scheduled for Jan. 8-11 at the Kapalua Plantation Course, a change from its usual venue due to ongoing drought conditions in Maui, the event has now been pulled entirely, with no confirmed timeline for its return.
Given the change, the Sony Open in Hawaii will now serve as the 2026 season opener, as announced by Tour officials on Wednesday.
Formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, The Sentry has hosted some of the sport’s most iconic victories, with past champions including Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed.
The reigning winner, Hideki Matsuyama, will not have the opportunity to defend his title due to logistical challenges cited by the Tour, including “shipping deadlines, tournament infrastructure and vendor support.”
“Since it first became a possibility that the PGA Tour would not be able to play at The Plantation Course at Kapalua due to the ongoing drought conditions on Maui, we worked closely with our partners at Sentry to assess options for contesting The Sentry in 2026,” PGA Tour Chief Competitions Officer Tyler Dennis told reporters. “While it is unfortunate to arrive at this decision, we are appreciative of the collaboration and dedication from Sentry Insurance, a tremendous partner of ours.”
The cancellation also means the loss of one of the Tour’s eight Signature Events for the year. However, eligible players will gain access to an additional Signature Event in 2026: the RBC Heritage, scheduled for April.
“We are appreciative of the PGA Tour’s thorough effort and communication throughout this process,” expressed Governor Josh Green, per the Tour. “Though we’re disappointed The Sentry will not be contested in 2026, we are excited that the beauty and Aloha Spirit of the islands will be showcased to fans around the world at the Sony Open in Hawaii and with the PGA Tour Champions event at Hualali.”
From 1986 to 2013, The Sentry was the first event of the season. This tradition restarted in 2024 when the Tour returned to a calendar-year schedule, and it will now mark the end of a historic run.
Even though things are different now, the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions will still start their 2026 seasons in Hawaii.
The Sony Open will be held at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu from Jan. 12–18, and the Mitsubishi Electric Championship has been confirmed to take place at Hualālai Golf Club on the Big Island from Jan. 22–24.
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