KAPALUA GOLF CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF HOSTING PGA TOUR’S SENTRY TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
Maui, Hawaii (December 28, 2022) – The Plantation Course at Kapalua will celebrate 25 years of hosting the PGA TOUR’s Sentry Tournament of Champions when the star-studded event returns to Maui, January 4-8, 2023. Since the event moved to Maui in 1999, the Sentry Tournament of Champions has generated more than $8 million for local community charities, while the list of past champions includes Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk and Ernie Els.
The iconic Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw design first opened for play in 1992. Designed on a grand scale, the 7,596-yard, par 73 Plantation Course plays along the slopes of the West Maui Mountains boasting dramatic ocean views from virtually every hole. In 1999, the PGA TOUR relocated the Tournament of Champions from La Costa Country Club near San Diego, Calif. to Maui. David Duval won the inaugural Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course, shooting a 26-under (266).
“We are so excited to welcome the best players on the PGA TOUR back to Kapalua’s Plantation Course again for the 25th year,” said Alex Nakajima, general manager, Kapalua Golf & Tennis. “The golf course has been prepared to perfect condition; we are ready to kick off the 2023 golf season.”
The Sentry Tournament of Champions annually kicks off the calendar year with one of the most exceptional fields in golf, featuring winners from the previous year on the PGA TOUR and the top 30 players from the FedExCup standings. Past champions Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are set to play in the 2023 tournament along with major winners Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa, Jon Rahm and Adam Scott.
The perennial Top 100 Course underwent a well-documented restoration in 2019, which focused on recapturing the essence and playing characteristics of the (then) nearly three decade-old course. During the 2019 restoration/refinement project, enhancements were made to the Plantation Course, including new bunkers; new Celebration Bermuda Turf on tees, fairways and roughs; and rebuilt and resurfaced green complexes. The overall Plantation Course layout and routing remained the same. Since the 2019 restoration, additional projects have been completed to produce what Coore and Crenshaw originally planned during their 2019 refinement of the Plantation Course – namely to make the golf course firmer to get more ball roll. Through drainage and top dressing projects, as well as enhanced maintenance practices, the golf course continues to “firm-up.”
The Plantation Course at Kapalua is open year-round to resort guests and daily-fee play. For more information on Kapalua Golf, visit www.GolfAtKapalua.com or call 1-877-KAPALUA.
About Kapalua Golf & Tennis
Managed by Troon, Kapalua Golf & Tennis features two 18-hole golf courses (The Plantation and The Bay). Kapalua’s Plantation Course is ranked No. 23 on “America’s Top 100 Public Courses” list by Golf Digest. Celebrating its 48th anniversary in 2023, The Bay Course has long been dubbed as “Hawaii’s favorite resort course.” Its breathtaking par-three 17th hole is the only hole to play over the ocean on Maui. Kapalua Golf Academy is Hawaii’s most comprehensive practice facility, offering individual lessons, Trackman analysis, custom club fitting, group lessons and on-course playing lessons. The Kapalua Tennis Garden is located in the splendid natural setting of Kapalua Resort and now features four dedicated pickleball courts.
About Troon
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company providing services at 750-plus locations, including 725-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses around the globe. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages 600-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. With properties located in 45-plus states and 30-plus countries, Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Indigo Sports, CADDIEMASTER, ClubUp, Cliff Drysdale Tennis, Peter Burwash International, True Club Solutions, RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design, Casa Verde Golf and ICON Management. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com, or connect with Troon on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Troon Chronicles, Press Room, or subscribe to Troon Magazine.
About Sentry
Sentry Insurance is one of the largest and most financially secure mutual insurance groups in the United States, holding a Financial Strength Rating of A+ (superior) from AM Best, current as of June 2022. See ambest.com/ratings/guide.pdf for rating information. Sentry and its subsidiaries sell property and casualty insurance, life insurance, annuities and retirement programs for business and individuals throughout the country. Headquartered in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Sentry employs more than 4,300 associates across the country. See a complete list of underwriting companies at sentry.com.
About PGA TOUR
By showcasing golf’s greatest players, the PGA TOUR engages, inspires and positively impacts our fans, partners and communities worldwide.
The PGA TOUR, headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, co-sanctions tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Canada. Members on the PGA TOUR represent the world’s best players, hailing from 29 countries and territories. The PGA TOUR has long-term domestic distribution partnerships for broadcast coverage on CBS, NBC and Golf Channel and video streaming service on ESPN+. Internationally, PGA TOUR coverage is available across 200+ countries and territories in 27 languages via 43 local broadcast partners. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations to maximize charitable giving, and to date, tournaments across all Tours have generated more than $3.37 billion.
Fans can follow the PGA TOUR on PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf, on the PGA TOUR app and on social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram (in English, Spanish, Korean and Japanese), LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter (in English and Spanish), WeChat, Weibo, Toutiao, Douyin and LINE.
Media Contact:
Rob Myers
Troon
480.477.0506
[email protected]