PGA Tour axes 'Hawaii Swing' as major schedule revamp takes shape for 2027

The PGA Tour has confirmed it's moving on from its traditional Hawaii Swing, marking the end of an era that has defined the opening stretch of the season for decades.

According to Sports Business Journal, the PGA Tour will no longer begin its season with The Sentry at Kapalua or the Sony Open at Waialae.

Both Hawaiian tournaments have long served as the curtain-raisers for the PGA Tour calendar.

In a brief statement, the PGA Tour confirmed that further details regarding the start of the 2027 season will be revealed in due course.

Hawaii has hosted PGA Tour events since 1965, becoming synonymous with the early-season schedule. 

Kapalua began as a winners-only start to the PGA Tour season in 1999, a favourite among players for its wide fairways and endless views of the ocean on the west end of Mau

However, its position has come under increasing scrutiny as the PGA Tour looks to reshape its competitive structure, with a growing emphasis on larger markets and the possibility of a later, more high-profile season launch.

"We are grateful to The Plantation Course at Kapalua, Kapalua Resort, Maui County and the State of Hawaii for their longtime support of our season-opening PGA Tour event, as well as the fans, partners and volunteers across Maui who have supported the event throughout the years," the PGA Tour said in a statement sent to SBJ.

This year’s Sentry, a $20 million signature event, was cancelled late last year due to severe water restrictions in drought-stricken Maui. 

As a result, the season instead began a week later at the Sony Open at Waialae in mid-January. That tournament also marked the final year of its current title sponsorship.

It is understood that discussions are now ongoing about potentially moving the Sony Open to the PGA Tour Champions schedule, which currently begins at Hualalai Resort Golf Club on the Big Island.

While the full 2027 PGA Tour schedule has yet to be released, there are already clues about how the reshaped calendar might look. 

It also remains to be seen whether a number of LIV superstars such as Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm will be applying their trade back on the PGA Tour in 2027, following bombshell news coming out of the breakaway league the past week. 

The American Express — traditionally the third event of the year — has already locked in dates of 21–24 January 2027. 

With the Hawaii Swing now being removed from the schedule, The American Express, which was won by Scottie Scheffler this season, could emerge as the season opener.

But nothing has yet been finalised.

PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp has previously outlined ambitions to eventually launch the season at a marquee venue on the US West Coast, signalling a shift towards bigger markets and higher-impact events.

Further intrigue surrounds the future of The Sentry brand itself. Sources cited by SBJ suggest the company could pivot towards sponsoring the PGA Tour’s annual event at Torrey Pines. Farmers Insurance previously held title sponsorship of the tournament but allowed its agreement to expire earlier this season.

Where a potential Sentry-backed event at Torrey Pines would sit on the calendar remains unclear. It could become part of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, according to SBJ sources, or retain a place earlier in the season in line with its traditional scheduling window.

For now, what is certain is that the PGA Tour is preparing for a significant reset. 

The departure from Hawaii not only closes a historic chapter but also signals a broader transformation in how the Tour intends to present and prioritise its global schedule from 2027 onwards.