Justin Thomas hits a shot during the 2017 SBS Tournament of Champions at Kapalua Golf Resort in Maui, Hawaii. Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
The iconic Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort, the traditional host of the PGA Tour’s season-opening event, The Sentry, faces an uncertain future for its January 8-11, 2026, tournament due to severe water restrictions stemming from a dispute over Maui’s century-old water delivery system.
The course, known for its lush fairways and breathtaking Pacific views, has been forced to close for at least 60 days starting September 2, 2025, in a desperate bid to save its parched turf, raising concerns about its readiness to host the prestigious $20 million event.
The crisis centers on a conflict between Kapalua Golf Resort, owned by Japanese billionaire Tadashi Yanai, and Maui Land & Pineapple Co. (MLP), which manages the 11-mile Honokohau Stream and Ditch System supplying irrigation water to West Maui.
On August 29, 2025, MLP imposed Tier 4 water restrictions (60% usage), cutting off all irrigation water to the Plantation and Bay courses after alleging that the golf courses overconsumed water during a historic drought.
According to MLP’s Hawaii Water Service, the courses used over 1 million gallons per day over two days — nearly half the capacity of the area’s two wells, which risked depleting reserves needed for fire protection.
Jon Rahm plays his shot from the 18th tee during the third round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua GC on Jan 8, 2022 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Gregory Shamus via Getty Images)
“We warned previously that another Tier 4 shutdown would be devastating to turfgrass already depleted from months without irrigation,” said a statement from Kapalua Golf, managed by TY Management. The resort has not watered the Plantation Course since August 29, leaving its fairways yellowed and greens dying, a stark contrast to the vibrant landscape that has hosted the PGA Tour since 1982.
The situation escalated when Yanai, alongside Kapalua homeowners and Hua Momona Farms, filed a lawsuit on August 18, 2025, accusing MLP of failing to maintain the water delivery system. The lawsuit claims that the system’s disrepair, not the drought, is the primary cause of water scarcity, citing U.S. Geological Survey data showing that the West Maui mountains receive more annual rainfall than Portland or Seattle.
“MLP has knowingly allowed the Ditch System to fall into a state of demonstrable disrepair,” the lawsuit alleges, demanding that MLP honor agreements to repair and maintain the system for reliable water delivery.
MLP counters that it has made repairs as directed by the Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) and attributes the water shortage to low stream flows caused by the drought.
“During this time of record low stream levels, it is in the best interest of the community that all parties remain focused on facts and solutions,” said MLP CEO Race Randle in a statement to the Associated Press.
The company also noted that recent permission from CWRM to use groundwater temporarily allowed a shift to Tier 2 restrictions, permitting 60% of normal irrigation, but the earlier Tier 4 shutdown caused significant damage.
Alex Nakajima, general manager of Kapalua Golf and Tennis, described the closure as a last-ditch effort to restore the course.
A rainbow appears in front of the first hole during the final round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua on Jan 7, 2018 in Lahaina, Hawaii. Photo by Stan Badz/Getty Images via PGA TOUR
“The golf course has been damaged with no water for months,” Nakajima told the Associated Press. “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.”
The resort plans to use limited water for slow-releasing fertilizer and verticut mowing to remove dead grass, but Nakajima emphasized urgency: “Every day the golf course is dying.”
A decision on reopening by November 1 will be made on October 15, depending on turf recovery.
The Sentry, which includes a field of the prior season’s top 50 FedExCup players (along with tournament winners who otherwise didn’t qualify), and generates an estimated $50 million for Maui’s economy, is a cornerstone of the island’s tourism and charitable efforts.
Since 1999, the tournament has raised over $9.7 million for local nonprofits, including recent contributions to wildfire recovery following the devastating 2023 Lahaina fires. Sentry Insurance, the title sponsor, has donated over $3 million to Maui since 2018, including $2 million for youth mental health services post-fires.
The PGA Tour is actively monitoring the situation. “We are engaged with our partners at Sentry Insurance, Kapalua Resort, Maui County, and the State of Hawaii to assess any potential impact on staging The Sentry,” said Rachel Noble, manager of golf communications for the PGA Tour. Discussions are underway about contingency plans, including potentially moving the event to Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, home of the Sony Open, scheduled the following week.
Justin Thomas and Hideki Matsuyama walk the fairway at Kapalua GC during the 2017 Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images
Maui’s drought, compounded by the 2023 wildfires that killed over 100 people and destroyed much of Lahaina, nine miles from Kapalua, has heightened water management tensions. The Governor’s Office emphasized the tournament’s importance, stating, “The Sentry is an important event for Maui’s economy and a showcase for Hawai‘i worldwide.” Yet, it stressed that management decisions rest with CWRM, balancing tourism with community recovery needs.
As Kapalua’s groundskeepers race against time to revive the course, the golf world watches anxiously. The outcome of the water dispute and the course’s recovery efforts will determine whether The Sentry can maintain its place as the PGA Tour’s paradisiacal season opener in January 2026.
Sources: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, NBC Sports, Associated Press, Maui Now
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