The PGA Tour has now officially canceled The Sentry. It was supposed to happen at Kapalua in mid-January 2024. This ruling comes on the heels of severe water restrictions placed on Maui, devastating the islands golf courses. Unfortunately, The Plantation Course has been a mainstay of the PGA Tour since 1999. Sadly, it has suffered a great blow from such restrictions leading to its recent closure for good.
Kapalua’s two golf courses, home to one of the most prestigious events in golf, the Tournament of Champions, have gone from being a paragon of sustainability. Once lush and emerald green, the fairways are now plenty of shade-covered courses gone yellow — an immediate impact of the water shortage. The continuing fight with Maui Land & Pineapple fuels these limits. This small, privately owned company now shepherds a water delivery system installed over a century ago. In an attempt to save funds, the lack of courses caused them to shut down in mid-September for a minimum of two months.
The PGA Tour then confirmed on September 16 that The Sentry was canceled. Given the situation, we will be relocating the event to Torrey Pines this year. The unique site already provides infrastructure from a very recent PGA Tour stop that happened only three weeks ago. This smart decision allows the tour to maintain an extremely high bar for its flagship event, currently valued at $20 million. It’s no surprise then that it draws the big winners on the PGA Tour and the top 50 players on the FedEx Cup.
In her comments, Stephanie Smith, an executive with Sentry Insurance, lamented the calling off.
“This is not the outcome we wanted, but unfortunately it’s where we are.” – Stephanie Smith
Smith highlighted just how important it is to continue protecting The Sentry’s hard-earned reputation. She lamented, as had her staff, that they had not achieved a stronger resolution.
“I wanted Sentry to remain the jewel that it is,” – Stephanie Smith
The PGA Tour and Sentry Insurance first partnered in 2018. Their continued collaboration through 2035 is a testament to their commitment to maintaining the event’s rich tradition and dignity. Smith again promised them that they were committed to making The Sentry unique in the future and not another conventional hotel.
“We are committed to playing The Sentry. We know from our conversations with the tour that The Sentry will be on the schedule.” – Stephanie Smith
Here’s hoping Kapalua’s courses get back open—as of Nov. 10, it was scheduled to reopen after extensive cleanup. Homeowners in the area and Hua Momona Farms have filed a lawsuit against Maui Land & Pineapple, alleging negligence in maintaining the water delivery system that has contributed to the current crisis.
Even with these big whiffs at Kapalua, the PGA Tour keeps rolling. They are pleased to start the seventh tournament of the new year with the Sony Open. We’re looking forward to this event coming together! This will give players an opportunity to compete in a unique environment as we gear up for The Sentry.
Moving The Sentry was driven by logistical realities that cannot be overstated. Rather, it demonstrates a deep-seated respect for the history and reputation that has been built up around this signature event. Kapalua was once the indigenous home of The Sentry. Perhaps the strongest testament to the tour’s flexibility, nimbleness, and responsiveness to outside disruptions were this year’s adjustments.
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