Multiple sources reported that the LPGA Tour’s Lotte Championship will relocate from O’ahu to the Plantation Course at Kapalua, Maui, for its 2027 edition, scheduled March 18–21. The move brings professional golf back to West Maui after the venue lost its PGA Tour event due to drought and water issues. Organizers expect the tournament to serve as a significant economic driver for the Maui community.
- The 2027 Lotte Championship will be the first LPGA event held at the Plantation Course at Kapalua, featuring a full field of 120 professionals over four rounds
- The tournament was held on O’ahu since its 2012 inception — first at Ko Olina Golf Club, then at Hoakalei Country Club starting in 2021
- The Plantation Course, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, is a par-73, 7,596-yard layout that hosted the PGA Tour’s Sentry Tournament from 1999 to 2025
- The Sentry was canceled in 2026 due to drought conditions that made the course unplayable, after which the PGA Tour exited Hawaii entirely
- The Lotte Championship will be part of a new two-week Hawaii stretch on the LPGA schedule, following the debut Nanea Cup on the Big Island (March 11–14) (Women’s Golf Journal)
- The 2027 event will carry a $3 million purse and mark the tournament’s 15th edition (Women’s Golf Journal)
- Kapalua last hosted an LPGA event in 2008 — the Kapalua LPGA Classic on The Bay Course
- Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand won the 2026 Lotte Championship at Hoakalei, her 11th career LPGA title (GolfPass)
- Golf Channel broadcaster and Maui businessman Mark Rolfing called the move ‘a big part of the future of West Maui’ (Yahoo / Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
- Kapalua owner Tadashi Yanai donated $750,000 to Maui nonprofits in 2025 when The Sentry was canceled, supporting organizations including Lahainaluna High School Foundation and Lahaina Junior Golf
- Organizers note the move also reflects Lotte and Kapalua’s support for Maui’s recovery from the 2023 Lahaina wildfires (Women’s Golf Journal)
- Golf is estimated to contribute approximately $3.4 billion annually to Hawaii’s economy (Women’s Golf Journal)
Sources
- Alohastatedaily: Lotte Championship relocates to Maui
- Firstcallgolf: Plantation Course at Kapalua: To host LPGA’s 2027 LOTTE Championship
- GolfPass: Kapalua’s Plantation Course returns to the professional golf rota in 2027
- Thegolfwire: The Plantation Course at Kapalua To Host LPGA Tour’s 2027 LOTTE Championship
- Yahoo: Lotte Championship will move to Kapalua in March 2027
- Women’s Golf Journal: The Sentry’s Former Venue Bags LPGA Event For The 2027 Season
- Honolulu Star-Advertiser: Lotte Championship will move to Kapalua in March 2027
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