Twelve Hawaii golf resorts have formed ‘Play Hawaii Golf,’ a global marketing push to promote the state’s 70 courses after the PGA Tour canceled its Maui and Oahu tournaments. The PGA Tour’s shift to a for-profit model and focus on major markets drove the decision to drop Hawaii from its schedule.
- Twelve premier Hawaii golf resorts launched ‘Play Hawaii Golf’ to promote the state’s courses following the loss of two PGA Tour events.
- The PGA Tour dropped the Sentry on Maui and the Sony Open on Oahu after restructuring from a nonprofit to a for-profit enterprise with new leadership from the NFL.
- Golf contributes an estimated $3.5 billion annually to Hawaii’s economy, underscoring the financial stakes of losing nationally televised tournaments.
- The Sentry tournament’s purse had grown from $6 million to $20 million, which insiders say was financially unsustainable for the local market.
- The Sony Open will be replaced by the Sony Championship Hawaii, a 50-and-older tour event, leaving Maui without a top-tier PGA Tour replacement.
Source: Hawaii Public Radio
Share this article
