KAPALUA, Maui (KHON2) — Following the PGA’s decision to move the annual Sentry tournament from the Kapalua course, lawmakers are urging them to keep it in the islands, saying that the tournament is crucial for Hawaii’s economy.
“We want to be branded as a world-class destination when it comes to sports,” said Senator Donovan Dela Cruz. “We want to make sure that we’re constantly looking at trying to attract the highest spending visitor, and really, Maui needs it right now.”
Senator Dela Cruz, alongside Senator Troy Hashimoto, sent a letter to the PGA asking that the tournament be kept in the islands.
Losing the tournament could greatly affect an industry that typically brings in a lot of money for the islands, which would leave a big financial hit.
“Estimates have shown at least a $50 million impact. So that’s a huge hit,” said Senator Dela Cruz. “Especially when we don’t have a film production in Hawaii right now, the tourism numbers are going down, so we want to really try to stop the bleeding.”
“If the PGA Sentry tournament could be moved to a West Maui golf course, that is irrigated with recycled water, that might be a great compromise or a pivot,” said Tamara Paltin, West Maui Councilmember
With the massive sports attraction potentially getting cut, lawmakers say that this serves as a reminder for Hawaii’s economy to continue diversifying.
“This is why it’s so important that we diversify our economy, that we really focus on other things like agriculture, exports, technology, space force, or possibly astronomy and geothermal,” said Senator Dela Cruz. “We really have to have more industries than just the tourism industry that we may be too over-reliant on.”
In a statement, head of the PGA Aloha Section Wesley Weilehua said, “Together with our partners at the PGA tour, state leaders, and the broader Hawaii golf community, are actively exploring every option to keep this prestigious event in Hawaii for 2026 and beyond.”
While the status of the Sentry tournament remains up in the air, the PGA confirmed that they remain committed to the Sony Open and the Mitsubishi tournament.