Kapalua Closes Due to Water Shortage: Is the PGA Tournament The Sentry at Risk?

Kapalua Resort Temporarily Closes Due to Water Crisis

The prestigious Kapalua Resort in Hawaii, the traditional venue for the start of the PGA Tour season since 1999, will be forced to close its doors for two months. This measure, which will begin on September 2nd, seeks to preserve the golf courses in the face of water scarcity, amid a dispute over the management of a century-old supply system in Maui. The closure, which will affect the Plantation and Bay courses, has raised concerns about the possibility that the resort could host The Sentry, the tournament that kicks off the 2026 tour season.

“The golf course has been damaged by the lack of water for months. I proposed to the owner that we close the course to increase our chances of saving it and also the tournament,” stated Alex Nakajima, general manager of Kapalua Golf and Tennis.

Alex Nakajima, general manager of Kapalua Golf and Tennis

Nakajima explained that the priority is to use the little water available to apply slow-release fertilizers and prevent customers from using the field while the dead grass is removed.

Kapalua, known for the contrast between its green fairways and the blue Pacific, currently presents a mix of yellow and brown due to the drought. The course has not received water since July 25th. Tadashi Yanai, the Japanese billionaire owner of Kapalua and founder of the clothing brand Uniqlo, along with homeowners in Kapalua and Hua Momona Farms, filed a lawsuit against Maui Land & Pineapple last week. The lawsuit alleges that the latter has not maintained the proper water supply system. The conflict revolves around the Honokohau Stream and Ditch System, an 11-mile system that supplies irrigation water to the Kapalua area from the West Maui mountains. The lawsuit alleges that Maui Land & Pineapple has allowed the irrigation system to deteriorate, leading to a lack of water for users. Maui Land & Pineapple responded that it has made “certain repairs and improvements” to the system, according to the indications of the Commission on Water Resource Management, and that its actions are “consistent with the agreements” with the golf courses. According to the company, the problem lies in the low flow rates, not in the inefficiency of the system. In a statement, CEP Race Randle declared that collaboration, not litigation, is the best path to address the water needs of West Maui. The lawsuit filed in Maui state court requests that Maui Land & Pineapple comply with the agreements and take steps to repair and maintain the irrigation system, thus ensuring a reliable water supply. The lawsuit also points out that the current drought is not the cause of the problem, and cites data from the U.S. Geological Survey showing that the West Maui mountain basin receives more annual rainfall than Portland and Seattle. Meanwhile, Kapalua Resort, managed by Troon, has offered discounts to its customers due to the deterioration of the conditions of its golf courses. Nakajima emphasized that closing the field is crucial to have any chance of holding The Sentry. “We have to do it immediately. The golf course is dying every day,” he concluded.